POTC: Cortez's Uncharted Islands
by la z boy
Summary: Jack, Will, Elizabeth & Bootstrap must infiltrate a clandestine society known as The Clan Of Cortez while trying to find the killer of Weatherby Swann and what The Clan protects. Full Summ. Inside!
1. Murder At The Docks

A/N: You've waited, you've wondered, and now the next installment in the saga is finally here! Enjoy the first two chapters!

**Pirates of the Caribbean: Cortez's Uncharted Islands**

There is an age-old secret society known as The Clan Of Cortez, Their job was and still is to protect the secret of a group of uncharted islands that Cortezhimself discovered. It was on these islands that Cortez his his cache of stolen treasure and something else of greater value. One of the Clan's members is Elizabeth's father, and he's just been murdered. 

Will & Elizabeth then discover a map hidden in the Governor's Mansion that leads to the islands. Hoping to avenge the former Governor and fulfill his dying wishes, the couple finds Jack, who knows of the Clan and claims that he knows a member. Jack agrees to help, his motivation obviously being the treasure. 

But first, our trio must infiltrate The Clan and attend a meeting before searching for the islands. They then discover that there may be a traitor expertly placed within the Clan who is helping Captain Jonathan Barnet, our heroes' new East India Company enemy. Now, Jack, Will & Elizabeth are caught up in a web of lies, deceit, murder and espionage on the high seas. And all of it is inevitably leading up to a battle with a reincarnated Cortez, a fight to destroy the resurrected vessels of the Spanish Armada, and the reawakening of the sea goddess Calypso in human form. 

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Chapter 1

_A British Royal Navy Fort - 1697_

The only audible sound was the distant howling of the low wind. The sun shone down as bright as ever upon the fort, despite the grim event that was about to transpire. Spectators of varying age and size were beginning to gather inside the fort, awaiting what they knew would inevitably happen. British soldiers either stood erect on the top of the enormous stone walls or marched back and forth dutifully. Flags bearing the symbols of His Majesty's army whipped in the little wind there was. Soon, the people began to talk amongst themselves anxiously.

The crowd stood dead still, save for one mysterious figure. This person had a wide-brimmed hat pulled low over his face and he was weaving in and out of different people, trying to get closer to the platform. Above this platform there was a wooden pole, from which hung four lengths of rope, each of which had a loop at the end big enough to fit around a person's neck. The person pushing his way through the crowd did not halt until he was directly in front of the platform.

Meanwhile, inside the small office that was reserved for high-ranking officials and captains of vessels, four scraggly and unclean men sat side-by-side in chairs, their legs and arms connected by long chains and shackles. Off to the right was a desk, behind which sat an authoritative-looking man who was revolving a gold coin around in his fingers. This man wore a stern expression that suggested he took his work seriously. On his head was a two-cornered captain's hat that sat atop a white wig worn by those of influential power in the English bureaucracy. This man's name was Bartholomew Smith, a captain who had devoted himself to tracking down any man or woman suspected of conspiring against the Empire or those who had committed crimes against the Crown.

Smith eyed the coin in his hand for yet another time. On one side was a small engraving of the world, which was partially encircled with a curved sword that clearly represented a capitalized "C". On the opposite side was a another engraving, this one of a Spanish Armada vessel. Smith knew what the coin was used for; it was something that every member of a highly cabalistic society with the name "The Clan Of Cortez" carried with them at all times. Smith's men had been caught in the town, clearly returning from some type of secret duty. Smith wanted to know what that duty was, so he had brought the prisoners here for a last-minute interrogation before they were hanged for treason.

Smith swiftly stood up from his chair, walked around it to stand in front of the prisoners, and held out the coin.

"I've done some research regarding your society, gentlemen. I must say, I'm quite impressed with what you've accomplished. Gathering at the bequest of Cortez himself and vowing to protect the location of the majority of the gold and priceless treasure he stole from different countries and ships...my, my, you all are quite loyal. You refuse to divulge the whereabouts of the treasure, when it rightfully belongs to The King himself. That is considered treason by our laws, so you all must pay the price: death by hanging."

A satisfied expression came over Smith's face as he observed the four men before him all look uncomfortably at one another.

"That is, of course," Smith continued, "if you don't tell me the identity of the person with whom you entrusted the map with."

Once again, the four prisoners exchanged nervous looks.

"Oh, yes," Smith smiled, "I know all about the ways in which your society operates. There is always one, one who is given the task of protecting the location of this vast collection of treasure. All I request is that you reveal who that secret-keeper is, and I may be inclined to let you walk free, clear of all charges."

The nearest of the prisoners glared at Smith. "What do you know of the secret-keeper?" he asked suspiciously.

"Merely that whenever one is appointed, that person must keep that secret until the day they die. But before that, they have to find a way to pass that secret on to their offspring, if they have any. Tell me, does the new secret-keeper have any children? After all, that must have been the reason why you lot snuck into the town."

The man continued to stare defiantly at Smith. "The new secret-keeper does not have any children at the moment, however his wife is expecting one soon."

"Give me the name," said Smith in a monotonous tone.

"No."

Smith sighed. "I offer you a chance for freedom, and yet you refuse it. Stubbornness may be believed to be an admirable trait in instances such as these, but I see it as rather a distasteful last attempt to spare a guilty soul." He turned toward four burly guards standing beside the doorway. "Take them away."

As the prisoners were led toward the gallows, Smith flipped the coin in midair toward the first one. The man caught it and held onto it as he balled his hand into a fist. Smith followed the death march and came to a halt beside a few of his men, prepared to watch the ever-approaching display of death.

The prisoners lined up beside each other on the platform, three of them hanging their heads in defeat. The fourth, the man who had spoken with Smith, kept his head held high however as the nooses were placed over each man's neck. The drumroll began to play, and as it did, the fourth man motioned for a guard to come close; the guard obliged.

"Tell your leader to look on an island just ten miles southeast of here. He may uncover something of interest to him."

The guard moved away and descended the steps, clearly indifferent to the words he just heard. But all the same, the man saw the guard come up to Smith and whisper something in his ear. Smith gave the man a nod of gratitude as the drumroll became louder.

The man looked down at a person whose face was hidden behind a large hat. The person looked up to reveal handsome features of a man nearing his mid-forties. This man in the crowd nodded at the man on the platform the way someone would if they had been entrusted with something important.

Next, the man in the noose looked at the gold coin in his right hand. He turned it over and grinned to himself. But before the man knew it, the ground beneath him vanished and he dropped a few feet, stopped only by the rope around his neck. Immediately, air seemed to escape from the man's lungs at a great rate and he struggled as the coin fell from his grasp and landed on the ground, almost in slow motion. The side bearing the sword and earth were facing up.

Minutes later, a younger Weatherby Swann abandoned his position at the front of the crowd and gradually began to make his way home, where his lovely and pregnant wife was waiting for him.

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Days later, Bartholomew Smith arrived with his crew at the location that was given to him. They had found a cave and went inside, eagerly expecting to be met with the glorious sight of mounds of treasure stretching up as far as the eye could see, but they winded up being sorely disappointed.

What Smith did find in the cave was a note. A note which read:

_Your mission of trying to uncover Cortez's treasure was a wasted effort. The Clan's penchant for secrecy has prevailed, as it always will._

Smith could do nothing except shoot a hole through the note with his pistol in rage.

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_Port Royal - 1727_

The docks of Port Royal seemed eerily quiet to Governor Weatherby Swann as the carriage he was commandeering came to a halt under the luminescent light of a large lantern. It was the middle of the night, and the rest of the town had fallen into a deep slumber. Abandoned ships floated in the calm ocean, tied to the docks to ensure that they would not sail away. But none of these ships mattered to Swann.

He hopped down from the driver's seat and straightened his overcoat in a fidget, clearly impatient for something or someone to arrive. Swann rechecked his pocket watch for the fifth time that night, not one bit less anxious than he had been last night when he had received the letter that had alerted him of some type of forthcoming danger. Next, after storing his watch away, Swann pulled out a gold coin from his other pocket. The side currently had a symbol that Swann had come to know and understand all too well after he had been bestowed with it twenty-nine years ago. Back then, Swann had been an ambitious man, eager to accept any task brought before him; the one in question had been to keep a closely guarded secret, one that if revealed could jumpstart an enormous race for absolute power over the seven seas.

Governor Weatherby Swann was a veteran member of The Clan Of Cortez, a society that merely existed as a rumor amongst common people; a myth to others that had been concocted as nothing more than a bedtime story meant to fascinate avid children who would readily lap it all up as a form of entertainment. But the truth of the matter was that The Clan was indeed real, and it protected something more valuable than a cache of treasure.

Swann put the coin away and began to search the portions of ocean that were visible for some sign of the salvation he dearly hoped would come. As he did so, Swann recalled the duties of The Clan's secret-keeper. Being The Clan's current secret-keeper, it was Swann's job to make sure that The Clan's purpose was not uncovered by the wrong people. But if ever a situation arose in which the secret-keeper's life became an issue, it was their duty to explain in some form what their job was to any children so that they could pick up where the last secret-keeper had left off until such a time when The Clan either decided to entrust the secret to someone else or disperse after reconvening. Swann had made a point to write two letters before fleeing from his mansion; first, he had drafted and sent a letter detailing the situation to the leader of The Clan. The other one he had written was meant for Elizabeth. In this letter, Swann had put in writing his history with The Clan and the fact that Elizabeth would be made the new secret-keeper if Swann did indeed die tonight. In addition, Swann had scribbled down information about the rest of Elizabeth's family. Swann felt a lump rise in his throat when he thought about Elizabeth's mother and the twin of Elizabeth's whom had been taken away with her mother when she had decided to divorce Swann.

Swann had always told Elizabeth that her mother had died during childbirth, but Swann was not entirely certain that she was dead. For all he knew, she could still be out there somewhere along with Elizabeth's sister; he remembered the children not being identical twins. Swann could only imagine what Elizabeth would think after she found out all this from a letter and not directly from her father himself.

A sudden sound from the shadows attracted Swann's attention. He turned in the direction of the noise, his eyes trying to penetrate the blackness that managed to evade the light of the lanterns hung at different locations on the docks. Swann stared for a few more moments before shaking his feelings of worry off and turned back to face the ocean.

But unbeknownst to Swann, a figure had just emerged from the shadows behind him as if the person were a ghost. Managing to be as silent as if he were walking on air, the cloaked person reached into his robes and swiftly pulled out a silver knife. The handle of this blade was unique; it was in the shape of a snake's head with its mouth wide open. Encrusted into the spots where the eyes were meant to be were two red rubies that gleamed ominously in the light of the small fires inside the lanterns. The man approached Swann from behind and came to a halt. He then spoke in a deadly low voice that was like silk.

"Evening, Governor. I must say that it's not a good night to be wandering about. Never know when you might run into trouble."

Swann whipped around rather suddenly, startled by the voice. He let his eyes travel up and down this stranger, absorbing every physical aspect of him there was to know. When he was finished, Swann let out a deep sigh.

"So, my day of reckoning has come at last. I have to admit, I certainly did not expect it to end this way."

"Where are my manners? Allow me to introduce myself; Jacob McGivens, mercenary for hire. I see there's no need to explain my presence in Port Royal. After all, I can gather you're fully aware of why I'm here."

"Absolutely," answered Swann in a shaky voice. "But I can tell you this: whatever you are planning to do to me...it will do you no good. I shall never give up the secret I've sworn to protect."

"Admirable sentiments, Governor," said McGivens, "but obstinate words such as those will not save you. Now is the time when judgement on the sins you've committed in your life will be passed. Are you prepared for it?"

"Quite."

"Well, I believe you haven't outlived your usefulness quite yet. There's still the matter of the location of the map and the purpose behind those gold coins to discuss. You and I both know that the coins are used for more than just recognition amongst the members of the peers. What is the meaning of them? Are they able to do something when collected and put together?"

"Do you honestly think I would tell you such a thing?" retorted Swann.

"Ah, but methods such as coercion can be powerful tools when used to their fullest extent. Shall I give you a demonstration?"

"Coercion," Swann was able to scoff at the word. "That is just a bureaucratic term for torture. And trust me, the bureaucracy of Port Royal does not condone such methods."

"Correct," agreed McGivens, "but what if I were to put it in much more civilized terms? Does 'persuasion' sound better to you?"

"I hear nor see no difference."

"Pity. I was rather hoping you would cooperate willingly."

As comprehension of these words dawned on Swann, he pushed past McGivens and ran straight for the road leading back into town, completely forgetting the carriage that had brought him here. But before Swann could reach the archway, two black horses suddenly emerged from either side of the exit, blocking the route. The riders of these horses were masked, everything but their eyes hidden from sight. Around their waists were silver sword sheaths.

Swann backed away, his lower lip quivering in fear. From behind, McGivens roughly grabbed him by the shoulders and shoved him up against the horse-drawn carriage; most of Swann's air was knocked from his lungs. Quick as a flash, McGivens whipped out his snake-themed knife, its razor sharp point beginning to cut into Swann's skin.

"Where is the map to the islands? Where does The Clan Of Cortez convene when they gain wind of their secret-keeper being murdered? Tell me now, and I may be tempted to spare your life." These words were like venom.

"I have no idea what you're talking about." Swann was surprised at his own courage in the face of such danger.

"_Do not test me_,_" _McGivens spat. "If my employer does not gain this knowledge soon, then all hope will be lost for the cause I've been paid to ensure success for. You, Governor Swann, are all that stands in the way."

Swann gave McGivens a cold, hard stare. "You can do whatever you wish with me. I will never tell you what you desire to know."

McGivens glared at Swann for a few more moments before eyeing the elderly man's sleeve. He used his knife to cut open the fabric just below the shoulder to reveal an old, yet clear tattoo. This tattoo was of the exact same picture on Swann's coin; a curved sword halfway encircled around the world. McGivens stared at the tattoo and sneered.

"Ah, the crest; the symbol every Clan member has on their arm. How is it you are not sure of what I'm discussing when you bear the mark of the very group." McGivens placed the blade back at Swann's throat. "You are not a very good liar."

"Just kill me," Swann muttered miserably. "Any pain you cause will be more than bearable if it means taking this secret to my grave."

"Tut, tut Governor. You seemed to have misconstrued my threats somewhat. You see, my methods of persuasion do not involve physical pain, but rather psychological warfare."

"What do you mean?" Swann asked nervously.

"You have a daughter, am I correct? Elizabeth, I believe her name is. Married to a man named William Turner and the mother of a boy named Michael."

"How do you...?"

"I have intelligible resources, Governor." McGivens paused for effect. "So, if I were to kill you right now, I believe I would still be in the clear. After all, if my knowledge of The Clan is sufficient enough, it is an obligation of yours to pass along the duties of secret-keeper to your kin. And that would be Elizabeth Swann, or wouldn't it be Elizabeth Turner now?"

"If you lay one finger on my daughter..."

"You'll do what? Most likely, you'll be dead anyway, so you intervening in those matters would not be an issue."

"If you were to kill the Governor of Port Royal in cold blood, you've no idea of the serious repercussions that will follow for you."

"I'm prepared to face any repercussions. The more pressing matter here is if you're prepared to die for a cause that you still foolishly believe in."

"Belief can be a powerful thing."

"But is it powerful enough to stop death itself?" McGivens placed his knife at Swann's gut. "To die from a wound inflicted upon this part of the body will be slow and painful. Now, I say to you again, tell me what I need to know about The Clan Of Cortez and I may be willing to spare your life."

Swann took a deep, steadying breath. He then gazed into McGivens' eyes defiantly. "The Clan always stays true to it's cause, no matter what the consequences. You will never hear what you wish to know."

Cold fury darkened McGivens' eyes and without warning, he plunged the blade deep into Swann's chest unmercifully. Swann opened his mouth in shock and pain as McGivens pulled his head closer and whispered into Swann's ear.

"I'll give your regards to your daughter when I have my men take care of her as well."

McGivens shoved Swann down to the ground, ripping the knife out of the Governor's chest at the same time. The blade was soaked in fresh blood that shined under the torchlight from the surrounding area. McGivens pulled a white handkerchief from his coat pocket and wiped the knife clean, staring down at Swann in morbid amusement.

Each breath Swann now took seemed to cause him a great deal of pain. Blood had stained the front of his shirt and traveling coat, which made for a graphic sight. The wet blood continued to spread as the seconds passed, Swann's eyes never leaving McGivens.

McGivens turned around and motioned for the two cloaked horsemen to come closer; they obliged. The moment the men were at the proper distance, McGivens spoke to them in an undertone.

"I want you to thoroughly search the Turners' household for the map and the letter explaining The Clan. I don't need any loose ends."

"But, sir," the first man said, "how do we know where the Turners reside?"

McGivens sighed and went over to where Swann lay, bending down beside him. "Where does your daughter live?"

Swann screwed up his face as though he did not wish to answer, but his gaze still shifted to somewhere behind McGivens. McGivens followed Swann's eyes until he was able to spot a large house on the shore of Port Royal's beach illuminated by the moonlight some miles away. McGivens smirked.

"Thank you."

McGivens returned to his men. "Very well, you know where to go. If you run into any trouble, you have your orders."

"What makes you so certain that either the map or the letter are in that house?"

"It's merely logical sense. But in any case, I would advise splitting up. One of you take the Turners' residence while the other handles the Governor's mansion."

"And what of you? Where shall we meet up with you after we acquire what we need?"

McGivens smiled an evil smile while he placed a hat on his head. "I have matters to attend to in Tortuga concerning a lost Cortez coin, which reminds me...," he bent over again and searched Swann's pockets until he found what he was looking for, "...these coins are of the utmost importance. Once we discover where The Clan will gather, we will have the opportunity to steal them all at once." He held up Swann's coin, flipped it into midair, and caught it in the palm of his hand. "Now, gentlemen, I must depart. I shouldn't keep my vessel and my crew waiting." He turned to the docks, began to walk toward them, but halted in his tracks and slightly moved his head to the left. "If you should happen to fail, I trust you'll take the proper course of action?"

The two men looked uneasily at each other. Finally, they answered. "Yes, sir."

McGivens nodded before promptly disappearing into the shadows. The moment he was gone, the two henchmen mounted their horses and ushered them forward to their destinations.

Governor Weatherby Swann was left lying on his back, blood still seeping out of his wound as he gazed up at the starry sky above. The pain soon became overwhelming and Swann soon became aware of the blackness that was slowly enveloping him. Before he knew it, he could see his whole life flashing before his eyes. And just as the final thread of life that Swann had been desperately hanging onto was severed, he managed to weakly utter the final word that he would ever speak.

"Elizabeth..."


	2. Midnight Intruder

Chapter 2

McGivens walked slowly toward his ship, which was anchored at the docks of Port Royal. But just as McGivens was about to board, a voice halted him in his tracks.

"Did everything go according to plan?"

McGivens turned around to see Mercer emerge from the shadows of the chilly night and stop under the light hanging from one of the wooden poles lining the walkway. Mercer wore his usual stony face that seemed completely devoid of any emotion.

McGivens smirked. "I believe we had an agreement."

"That we did." Mercer placed his right hand into his coat pocket, withdrew a sack with jingling contents, and tossed it to McGivens, who caught it. "You will receive the other half once you've completed the job. Was there any trouble?"

"No."

"And the Guv'ner?"

"He chose the fool's way out. He left me no choice but to plunge the blade into his chest."

Mercer nodded. "An acceptable loss." He paused. "I trust, then, that you were able to obtain the map?"

"As we speak, my men are handling the situation. They are to meet me in Tortuga once they've completed the task. There's the matter of a renegade Clan member to deal with."

"And you're certain that man is in Tortuga?"

"Positive." For a few moments, McGivens stared at Mercer curiously. At last, he spoke again. "Would you mind telling me what is so important to Captain Barnet about a protected treasure?"

"What makes you think the Captain's desires are so provincial?" After seeing McGivens' confused expression, Mercer plowed on. "The East India Trading Company needs to gain control of the seas in order to permanently put a stop to piracy, and there are certain things hidden in these seas that can ensure that power. However, the methods in which they are acquired may raise some difficult questions. The security of information as sensitive as this is paramount."

"I assure you, Mr. Mercer, that I don't need to be reminded of the gravity of the situation."

"Then do that by silencing anyone else who interferes in these matters."

"So Captain Barnet is willing to kill to get his hands on what he wants?"

"And he's paying you to make sure it is all kept quiet. You will do well to remember that."

"Then it's all just...good business, is that correct?"

"Yes."

McGivens smiled and pocketed his payment. "Well then, it seems I have business to attend to."

And with that, McGivens turned on his heel and boarded the ship.

Mercer watched the vessel stealthily depart from the port and then spun around on his heel to walk silently into the night as if he was nothing more than a shadow.

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The hour was late and the majority of the town was now asleep, but Will and Elizabeth Turner were still wide awake. The couple was lying in their bed, enveloped in each other's arms. The recent events concerning the Amulet Of Atlantis were still fresh in their mind, and they seemed unable to cast them away. Will and Elizabeth had nearly died in a pirate ship that had been crushed and flooded by violent gushes of seawater as a result of the legendary pirate Jack Sparrow involving them in his latest escapade.

But after all that, Will and Elizabeth returned home safely along with their son Michael. Michael was only six years of age, and yet the young boy possessed a spirit that allowed him to be unlike any other boy his age. Michael Turner also happened to be fascinated with pirates, and his wish to be able to sail onboard a pirate ship had been turned into a reality after he had wandered aboard the Black Pearl and Jack deluded them into participating in the quest to uncover the Amulet Of Atlantis.

Michael's life had been put at risk, and that was something Will and Elizabeth did not want to go through again. At the moment, Michael was safe and sound asleep in his bed.

However, the safety of their son and the fatigue that still coursed through their bodies from their current adventure were not the only things troubling Will and Elizabeth, causing them to lose precious hours of well-deserved rest.

Shortly after returning to Port Royal, Mary Thomas, a friend of Will and Elizabeth's, had approached them and divulged some shocking information. First, Mary had told them that she feared that she may have inadvertently told Captain Jonathan Barnet, an influential member of the East India Trading Company, everything there was to know about the couple's past dealings with Jack Sparrow. This incident triggered an uneasy memory inside Will and Elizabeth's minds, that being the time when they had been threatened by Lord Cutler Beckett for aiding and abetting their pirate friend's escape from the hangman's noose eight years ago. Will and Elizabeth could only imagine the trouble that would most likely ensue over this Barnet character discovering this information.

Secondly, Mary had revealed to Will and Elizabeth that her daughter Jacquelyn, Michael's best friend, was the child of none other than Captain Jack Sparrow. This had particularly surprised Will and Elizabeth, as they certainly did not see Jack as the paternal type of person. Obviously, Jacquelyn herself had been ecstatic about it and had rushed to tell Michael, who pretty much had the same reaction. Mary was uncertain about whether or not Jack needed to know about this; it was apparent that she did not think highly of him.

Will and Elizabeth both ran over this information continuously in their heads until they reached the point where they became exhausted. All they really wanted to do was relax and not worry about anything else.

Elizabeth lifted her head slightly and gazed up into Will's eyes. The topic of Barnet pounded her mind to the point where she had to voice her concerns. "Do you think we'll be arrested again?"

Will shrugged his shoulders. "Barnet seems to have sufficient evidence against us. But I can't help but wonder if he knows we've returned, why is he waiting so long to take a course of action?"

Elizabeth thought hard, genuinely thinking of a good response. Finally, one came to her, but the prospect of it was decidedly discomforting. "Perhaps he wishes to use the information for his own personal gains."

"But what is there to gain? Certainly the East India Company wouldn't be trying to find the Dead Man's Chest again?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "No. Surely there must be something of the same magnitude in these waters that is worth going to extreme measures to acquire."

"They went to extreme measures when they threatened our lives eight years ago. And if they intend to do the same thing again, then I'm fully prepared to take whatever measures _I_ have to in order to ensure yours and Michael's protection."

Elizabeth cuddled closer to Will, reveling in his warm embrace. "You always have your family's best interests at heart; a truly admirable trait in any man."

Will grinned down at her wolfishly. "I'm glad to hear that I'm thought so highly of around here."

Elizabeth smiled back at him and leaned in close until their lips gently touched. The kiss was soft at first, but it soon became more passionate and loving. Will was only just getting comfortable when Elizabeth broke off, a slightly worried look on her face.

"What is it, love?"

Elizabeth shook her head. "Nothing. It's not worth worrying over."

"Elizabeth, what's wrong?" Will asked, his voice filled with concern.

Elizabeth looked up into her husband's eyes, unable to keep anything from him. "It's just...this last adventure with Jack caused me to realize something."

"And what is that?"

Elizabeth hesitated. "I'm not sure of who I am anymore."

"What do you mean?"

"For the past six years, I guess I've become so content with being a mother and wife who leads a quiet life that I've lost sight of who I was before that. Whenever we would be in a dangerous situation in our search for the amulet, I would always feel something inside of me that would cause me to hesitate in my actions, as if I were scared. That's never happened before, Will."

"So you think this change of character is something to be ashamed of? To fear, even?"

"I honestly don't know. I used to so desperately desire to sail the seas, fighting for something I believed in, but now I seem to be too concerned of my family's well-being, that I've become the complete opposite of what I was before."

Will sighed after hearing all this. "And that bothers you?"

Elizabeth nodded.

"You know, sometimes we have no choice but to fight in order to protect that which we love most. I've come to fully understand that over the past few years."

"And I can also grasp that concept, but I cannot come to terms with transforming into an entirely different person. I simply want to live the way I have in the past while still caring for you and Michael as much as I can."

"Your heart is truly in the proper place, Elizabeth, but I think you may be reading too much into this."

"Perhaps, but I just want to be sure of myself, that's all."

Will placed two fingers under Elizabeth's chin and lifted her head up. "All I know is that I love you and I always will, no matter what. You're still the same caring, loving woman I fell in love with in the first place and that's all that matters."

Will kissed Elizabeth once more, still with the same amount of strength as before. They did not break away until a mysterious creaking sound from somewhere inside the house made itself known. It sounded like someone had stepped upon a particularly creaky floorboard by accident. The only problem was, every inhabitant of the Turner household was either asleep or inside their rooms.

Will untangled himself from Elizabeth's arms and lifted himself off their bed. He then quietly walked over to the far wall, where a sword hung in an iron cradle. Will removed the weapon and turned to face Elizabeth.

"It seems we have an unwanted guest. Stay up here with Michael; I'm going to give our guest a proper greeting."

"Are you sure it's a thief?"

"Thieves never use the front door. Come on, I'll accompany you to Michael's room."

Elizabeth got up off the bed and crossed the floor to come up behind Will, who had carefully opened their bedroom door.

As they crept out into the darkened hallway that was dimly illuminated by low-burning candles, Elizabeth made sure to keep close to Will. Within seconds, the couple had reached the door to their son's room. Will silently eased it open and motioned for Elizabeth to enter.

"Whatever happens, don't come out."

"Be careful," said Elizabeth as she lightly kissed Will on the lips before entering Michael's bedroom and closing the door behind her.

Will continued to inch his way down the hallway, keeping an eye out for the slightest hint of movement. He soon came to a halt at the top of the stairs that led to the lower part of the house, and making sure not to make any noises of his own, began to slowly descend the flight.

The moment his feet touched level ground again, Will allowed his eyes to dart in every direction, trying to discover where the intruder was hiding. He gradually started to check each area of the house, but was unsuccessful in finding what he was looking for. The last room left for Will to search was the living area.

He cautiously slid along the wall leading to the double-doors that allowed entry into the space until he had reached one of the doors itself. Will inhaled deeply, gathering his composure for a few moments. Finally, he steeled himself enough and whipped around so that he was standing in the middle of the doorway, sword held out firmly in front of him.

At first glance, Will saw nothing. And as he began to enter into the living area, his alertness began to ebb away ever so slightly. Because of that, Will was completely unprepared for the rough hands that suddenly gripped his shoulders from behind and shoved him against the wall. Will's sword flew from his grasp from the sudden impact and clattered upon the wooden floor.

A strong fist suddenly collided hard with Will's gut, knocking the wind out of him. Will doubled over in pain as a rough, gravelly voice filled his ears.

"Where is it? Where is the map?"

Instead of answering, Will breathed in copious amounts of air, regained himself, and charged forward. He made contact with a human body and flung him to the floor. Without glancing at the intruder's face, Will roughly pulled him up and landed a hard blow to the side of the man's face that was sure to knock him out.

As the man's unconscious form crumpled to the ground, the sound of movement behind Will caused him to turn around to see Elizabeth and Michael. Both were staring at the sight in front of them with shocked faces.

"Will..."

"Dad! What happened?!"

Will picked up his sword and handed it to Elizabeth. "Stand guard over him while I fetch a chair and some rope."

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Much later, a fire roared to life inside the living area's fireplace, illuminating the room with a shimmering and brilliant light. Seated in front of the fire, yet still at a safe distance from the flames, was the intruder who had attempted to harm Will earlier. The man's head hung limply, clearly still unconscious. His arms were tightly bound behind him to the wooden chair in which he sat.

Will paced in front of him, clutching a bottle of brandy and a full glass in each of his hands. Sitting cautiously in a plush armchair nearby was Elizabeth, who had Michael in her lap and her arms wrapped around his chest protectively. Will came to a halt suddenly and turned to face Elizabeth.

"Take Michael out of here."

Elizabeth did not argue, she merely nodded quietly before getting to her feet and leading her son back to his bedroom. Once they were gone, Will spun back around and observed the man clad in black clothing who had tried to kill him only half an hour ago. Will downed the brandy in the glass in one gulp and immediately refilled it. He walked up closer to the stranger and splashed the liquid in his face, causing the man to cough and sputter while shaking away the feeling of unconsciousness that had overpowered him moments before.

"Wake up," said Will in a monotonous tone. "I have a few questions for you to answer." Will placed the brandy on a table and stared down at the man stonily. "What were you doing in my house at this late an hour?"

The intruder took a few seconds to regain his composure and his bearings. "Under what terms am I obligated to answer, exactly?"

Will gripped the hilt of his sword which was tucked into the waistline of his pants and whipped it out, placing the tip at the man's throat. "How about this for a start?"

The man looked down at the gleaming metal, clearly weighing his options. Finally, he gulped and answered Will's question. "I was ordered to come here."

"By who?" Will asked sharply.

"A mercenary by the name of Jacob McGivens. He had private and sensitive matters to attend to in Port Royal tonight."

"And what did these...sensitive matter have to do with my family?"

"It mainly concerned your wife's father. The Governor of Port Royal."

"What do you know of Elizabeth's father?" Will demanded dangerously.

"I'm not sure you're entirely ready to process that piece of information."

Will tightened his grip on the sword, which caused the blade to sink a little deeper into the man's flesh. "You'll tell me right now or I'll slit your throat."

The man took a sharp intake of breath because of the pressure exerted upon his flesh from the sharp tip of the sword. "All I know is that we were paid to converge on the Governor tonight in an attempt to force him to divulge some type of secret."

"And what secret would that be?"

The man hesitated, but continued on after feeling more pressure from the sword at his throat. "He was a member of some clandestine society...The Clan Of Cortez, I think it was."

Will's back stiffened as he rose to his full height, his face one of complete seriousness. "What exactly did you do to Elizabeth's father?"

The man said nothing, just stared solemnly down at his feet. Will made to grab him by the hair, but a voice from the doorway behind him caused him to stop.

"Answer the question. What have you done with my father?" It was Elizabeth's voice, and it sounded shaky and scared.

Will turned around and saw her standing in the doorway, he eyes wide and her complexion slightly pale. Will started to move toward her, but Elizabeth swept past him and over to the tied-up intruder. She took a handful of his hair in her hand and forced his face upward.

"Where is my father?" Elizabeth spat.

The man managed to suppress an evil grin. "My best guess would be that he's now at peace with the world."

Tears immediately began to form in Elizabeth's eyes as she comprehended these words. "You...you killed him?" she said as the tears started to streak down her face.

"Not directly. But I was there to witness it and I saw the life drain from his eyes. He is probably up in the sky watching us at this very instant." The man delivered these words harshly, and they stung Elizabeth greatly.

Without being fully aware of what she was doing, Elizabeth wrenched Will's sword from his grasp and plunged it deep into the intruder's chest out of nothing but pure anger.

"Elizabeth!"

Will dashed forward and removed the blade as Elizabeth just stood there staring blankly at the scene, silent tears falling down her cheeks. Within seconds, Will was at her side.

"My...my father's dead!" Elizabeth sobbed as Will took her into his arms. "I...I can't believe it! I refuse to believe it!" Her sadness soon turned into anger as she started to beat her hands upon Will's chest furiously. Will did not relinquish his hold at all, he just stood there comforting his wife to the best of his abilities.

After a few minutes of crying uncontrollably on Will's shoulder, Elizabeth sniffed and looked up at him through teary eyes. "We have to go down to the docks."

Will gave her a slightly confused expression. "Elizabeth, darling, you're in no condition to –"

"I have to see his body! I just have to! Will, please understand"

Will looked at Elizabeth through somber eyes, not wanting to cause her anymore displeasure. So, he heaved a deep sigh and gave in. "Alright. But what makes you think your father's body is there."

Elizabeth turned her head and gazed blankly out through a window, tears still fresh in her eyes. "I...just know."

Will could understand; there was a special type of connection that a child and parent shared that could not be so easily severed, even in death. With that in mind, he nodded.

"What about Michael? I don't want him to be with us when we go, but I also don't want to leave him here alone."

"We'll have one of Father's servants come. A few of them do live close by."

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Once everything regarding Michael had been taken care of, Will and Elizabeth had gotten into the carriage that they owned and took off at top speed toward the town's docks. They arrived there only a short while later, half the normal time.

Elizabeth was the first to jump down from it, with Will close behind. The instant they had arrived, Will and Elizabeth spotted it: the lifeless form of the late Governor Weatherby Swann. The skin on his body had turned pale and his eyes were empty and staring up at the starry sky, which was reflected eerily in them.

The moment Elizabeth had reached her father's dead body, she collapsed to her knees and once again let the tears come. Will came up beside her and bent down, taking Elizabeth into his arms for the second time that night. Will let Elizabeth cry her eyes out on his shoulder until there were no tears of sadness left.

But as Will sat there, tenderly holding the love of his life, he could not help but notice the ripped portion of Governor Swann's right sleeve. The hole in the fabric was large enough to reveal something inscribed upon the pale skin. It was a tattoo of some kind, and it depicted the world being partly surrounded by a curved sword that clearly represented a "C". Immediately, Will recalled the intruder's talk of Elizabeth's father being a member of some secret society known as The Clan Of Cortez. Despite the situation, Will's interest in the subject was slightly piqued.

However, Will did not allow his attention to be stolen by something less important than what was currently happening. Shaking the tattoo and the conversation from his mind, Will went back to consoling Elizabeth, who had now wrapped her arms around his neck; Will began to rock her soothingly as he would an upset child.

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**A/N: Come back tomorrow night for chapters 3 & 4!**


	3. Moonlit Conversation

Chapter 3

"_Blessed are the ones whom the rain falls upon."_

The words echoed hollowly within Elizabeth's head as she stood hand-in-hand with Will at her father's funeral. The weather conditions for this particular day could not have been more appropriate; the sky was a dark gray and rain was pouring down in a relentless manner. A crowd had gathered to pay their final respects to their former Governor; everyone was wearing black clothing.

Will, Elizabeth and Michael were standing inside the part of the port overlooking a grassy expanse of land that was reserved for the Governor. But seeing as Elizabeth's father was no longer alive, Will had immediately been appointed to the position the instant the news of Governor Swann's death had been released to the public. The reaction had been sorrowful and one of mourning, as everyone in the town either came directly to Will and Elizabeth, offering their sympathies, or had sent them meaningful letters of the same nature.

Two days had passed since Will and Elizabeth had discovered the body. Since then, they had made all the necessary arrangements for a proper funeral, and now here they all were. The fort was also occupied by a few Naval officers, all of whom stood astutely at duty.

Elizabeth was currently staring down at her feet, which were partially hidden underneath her black dress. Will was dressed pretty much the same way, as was Michael. Joining them in the fort were Mary and Jacquelyn Thomas, each of whom wore a somber expression much like those of Will and Elizabeth. From the distant side, Barnet and Mercer were watching the group with cruelly indifferent looks plastered across their faces, given the circumstances.

Suddenly, the sound of harmonic music that carried an air of tragedy caused everyone present at the funeral to look up toward the fort, where a closed casket was slowly being brought outside by four men carrying it. Elizabeth glanced up and observed the progression as it passed, tears already starting to form in her eyes. In her hands, Elizabeth cupped a bouquet of flowers, each of them white, which clashed greatly with the sea of black. Elizabeth watched the crowd below them part in order to provide a clear path for the men hoisting Governor Swann's casket; both the casket and its carriers were soaked from the downpour of rain within seconds. At last, the small contingent halted in front of a hole in the earth, which was where the casket would soon be placed.

A minister draped in black robes stood over the casket and began to read words from the open Bible grasped firmly in his hands. Neither the rain nor the wind did nothing to deter the minister from giving his speech, in fact, the wind that caused his wet robes to flap in the air and the pages of Bible to whip back and forth seemed to provide the sight with a more dramatic effect for anyone watching.

Not that it even remotely mattered to Elizabeth; the words about death spewing from the minister's mouth never reached her ears; not because of the howling of the wind, but simply because Elizabeth chose not to listen. She did not care what anybody else had to say, there was now one less person she cared about in the world and Elizabeth could not cast away the waves of grief sweeping over her, no matter how hard she tried. Just then, Elizabeth felt Will slip his strong arm around hers, clearly a show of affection to help his wife get through this difficult time. Elizabeth welcomed the action gratefully as she switched the flowers to just her left hand and used her right to grasp Will's arm tightly. She then gazed meaningfully into her husband's tender eyes.

When the service finished and the crowd had dispersed after viewing Governor Swann's casket being lowered into the grave created for it, the rain had begun to subside, allowing people who wished to pay respects to their former leader to step upon the fresh, yet moist earth to do so. This mainly happened in groups of three or four until everyone except Will and Elizabeth had stepped forward.

Will was the first to come. He stood directly in front of the grave, drops of rain that still dropped from the air lightly hitting his shoulders. He stared down at the tombstone in solemn silence for a few moments before putting his hat back on his head and joined Michael as Elizabeth stepped forward, almost cautiously.

She froze the instant she was close enough. Staring blankly down at the tombstone as if she could not bring herself to believe that this was really happening, Elizabeth let her already tear-stained face to become even more wet with the salty liquid originating from within her eyelids. Elizabeth spoke soft words of love to the tombstone, her final good-bye to her father.

Without saying a word, Will came up behind his wife and enveloped her in a tender, caring embrace; the type of hug that could only be offered by a loving husband. Elizabeth turned herself around in Will's arms, wrapped her own arms around him, and started to cry into Will's shoulder. A few feet away, the same thing was happening with Michael and Jacquelyn; Jacquelyn had interlocked her fingers with Michael's as they both looked on, Mary grasping both of her daughter's shoulders firmly.

As Will and Elizabeth stood there comforting each other, they were both able to sense someone else walking toward them. Or rather, two people, each draped in black coats and suits beneath. Will and Elizabeth broke apart in order to get a better look at who it was. But the instant they saw, Will and Elizabeth's blood ran cold.

Even though they had not been formally introduced as of that moment, Will and Elizabeth were immediately able to recognize who these two men were. They placed the man bringing up the rear instantly; the man who had helped Lord Cutler Beckett almost ruin their lives eight years ago: Mercer. The second man, who wore an expression only found on the most strict of bureaucrats in the position of power. This had to be the man who was attempting to follow in Beckett's footsteps, the man who was in possession of some rather incriminating evidence that could seriously damage Will now that he was Governor of Port Royal. The East India Company certainly chose their representatives well, Will and Elizabeth thought, as they watched Captain Jonathan Barnet stride up to them, his two-cornered hat dripping with rain he had endured when he joined the outside congregation in the middle of the funeral.

Barnet stopped when he was close enough to shake hands with the couple, which was what exactly he intended to do as he stuck out his right hand as a form of greeting.

"Governor Turner," Barnet said politely to Will.

Will eyed Barnet's hand for a moment before shaking it. Will reminded himself that he would now have to get used to hearing the title of "Governor" before his name.

"Mrs. Turner," Barnet turned to Elizabeth, who still had one arm draped around Will's neck. Elizabeth gracefully shook Barnet's hand as well.

"Captain Jonathan Barnet of the East India Trading Company. First of all, please allow me to offer my condolences. Your father was a good man, Mrs. Turner. It's a shame that we lost him so suddenly."

"I didn't lose him," Elizabeth said bitterly, "he was taken from me. Murdered in cold blood. He didn't deserve this fate."

"Of course he didn't," Barnet agreed in his most convincing voice. "And let me assure you, we will do everything in our power to hunt down the person responsible for this heinous crime and make sure they are brought to justice."

"You can count on that," Will said softly. "As my first duty as Governor, I'll make sure the murderer is captured." He hugged Elizabeth tighter.

"I think you ought to know that we did catch another man inside the Governor's Mansion on the same night you killed the other one who broke into your home. An odd coincidence, really," Barnet added thoughtfully.

"What are you suggesting, Captain Barnet?" Elizabeth asked seriously.

Barnet shrugged. "Everyone has secrets. Perhaps your father had one, one that called for an action as extreme as assassination."

Will listened to these words, but he did not voice what was on his mind. The tattoo that he had seen on the forearm of Elizabeth's father and the intruder's claims of him being connected to a society known as The Clan Of Cortez echoed throughout every inch of Will's mind, but he did not wish to discuss the matter in front of someone like Barnet. After all, Will was positive that the Captain could not be trusted. It was Barnet's businesslike tone of voice that brought Will back into the conversation.

"If you wish to interrogate the prisoner, feel free to do so. I would not want to deny our new Governor the opportunity to uncover vital information concerning this murder."

Will nodded. "We'll take that into consideration, Captain. But for now, we would like to have some time alone. As you can imagine, this is a difficult time for us."

"Of course. But if you should feel compelled to ask for help, know that I'll be in my office located in the middle of the town."

"We'll remember that."

With that being said, Will and Elizabeth marched past Barnet and began to walk back to their house with Michael, Jacquelyn, and Mary in tow. Barnet watched them leave.

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Barnet entered his office swiftly, Mercer right behind him. Due to the gloomy sky outside, Barnet's office was filled with the glow of many candles, illuminating the full bookshelves, wall-sized map on the far left wall, and many other artifacts such as globes and ship models that were scattered about the civilized area. Barnet removed his hat and cloak and placed them upon a coat rack in the far corner. He then crossed the room to a small table, where he uncorked a bottle of brandy and filled two glasses with the brownish alcohol. After handing one of the glasses to Mercer, Barnet settled himself behind his large desk.

He downed a bit of the brandy before starting to converse with Mercer. "Is there any news on McGivens?"

"The last I heard from him, he was only a short distance away from Tortuga," Mercer answered.

Barnet nodded. "And you're confident he'll get the job done?"

"Positive."

A moment of silence passed in which both Barnet and Mercer drank from their glasses of brandy until they had emptied them of their contents. Finally, Barnet spoke again.

"How about our man inside the Clan itself? Has he divulged anything of interest recently?"

Mercer shrugged. "Merely that The Clan has received word of Swann's murder and that they are indeed reconvening."

"Did he say where?"

"He was mum on that, sir," said Mercer in a monotonous tone.

Barnet smirked. "Hmm, then he knows the value of information."

Mercer set his glass down on the table beside him. "Captain, with all due respect, are you sure about having someone to back up McGivens? Because I can personally vouch for him."

"Because you're the one who brought him to me in the first place. But let me remind you, Mercer, there are advantages to having someone on the inside of the very group we are trying to infiltrate."

"And you're certain of his loyalties? Because perhaps it would be prudent to at least inform McGivens of him."

"His loyalties lie with me, and me alone. After all, I'm the one who promised to deliver that which he is after. And it never hurts to be prepared for anything tragic that might befall McGivens."

"And what would that be, if I may ask?"

Barnet smiled again. "There is a certain level of confidentiality between men of business. I trust you can understand that. All I will say, though, is that our little friend is from Singapore."

"Singapore?"

"Yes, my tentacles of power stretch far beyond the limit of any captain in the East India Company. This Singaporean acquaintance has some unresolved issues that I assured him would be cleared up once I deliver on my end of the bargain."

"And what does this bargain involve?"

"A piece of nautical mythology...or perhaps it is real considering the facts that support his claims. Now, I trust you won't inquire further into this particular matter?"

"Of course." Mercer paused. "But what about the Turners?"

"What about them?"

"What if they decide to take matters into their own hands and pursue Swann's killer?"

"Then that would mean they would have discovered the map. In that case, all we would have to do would be to order McGivens to discreetly follow them to the Clan meeting since Swann no doubt would have left a letter explaining how to find The Clan."

"And then McGivens would just have to incorporate his methods of persuasion."

"Which is something he's rather gifted at."

"Are you banking on the Turners going to Jack Sparrow for help?"

"I'm certain of it. That way, we'll be able to kill two birds with one stone. Sparrow has already interfered once when we tried to obtain the Amulet of Atlantis, so the time has come for him to pay. Along with the Turners."

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The cool night breeze ruffled Elizabeth's sandy hair as she sat alone on her porch which overlooked the sea. The moon was full tonight, and it shone brightly upon Port Royal, which was slowly turning in for the night. Elizabeth was staring blankly ahead at the ocean, the flawless surface of it twinkling in the moonlight. A blanket was tightly wrapped around her shoulders, keeping her warm.

From behind her, a door creaked open. Elizabeth did not even bother to turn around in order to see who it was, mainly because she knew who was approaching her. The sound of boots clunking upon the wooden porch came to a halt beside her, and Elizabeth soon felt a soothing hand rest on her shoulder.

Elizabeth gazed up into Will's eyes, which were filled with concern.

"How are you feeling?" he asked genuinely.

"Better," Elizabeth replied truthfully. "All of the grief seems to have gone away. At the moment, I simply feel empty." Elizabeth scooted over in the long chair, allowing enough room for Will to situate himself beside her, which he did.

"You're going through the grieving process. It is only natural for you to experience all of these mixed emotions. But you will always have me right here to help get you through it all."

Elizabeth laid her head down upon Will's chest as he wrapped his arms around her slender form. She then tenderly placed her hands on his muscular form, now listening to the rhythmic beating of his heart. Whenever Elizabeth found herself nestled in Will's strong arms, she was able to feel like herself again, no matter the circumstances and this was certainly no exception. "I love you, Will," Elizabeth whispered, her eyes closed.

"I love you, too." Will paused a moment, gazing out at the shimmering ocean. Finally, he spoke again. "Just try to remember all of the good times you had with your father. That's how he would want you to remember him."

Elizabeth nodded. "I'll always remember him as he was: a respectable man and a loving father. My only regret is that I was deprived of the opportunity to tell him that I loved him before he died."

Will rubbed Elizabeth in a comforting manner. "He knew it. You were his daughter, he always knew that you cared for him. There is a special bond between a child and their parents that can never be broken." He kissed Elizabeth on the forehead.

"It's just...I wish I knew the purpose behind his murder. What could possibly prompt someone to kill a man like my father, who never once committed a crime in his life?"

The thought of the mysterious intruder and the tattoo once again invaded Will's consciousness. The complexity of it all drove him to the point of insanity, when he had to voice his thoughts.

"Elizabeth...perhaps we should consider what we've heard about your father being a member of this secret society...The Clan Of Cortez. Maybe a secret such as that involved something worth killing for."

Elizabeth's face took on a troubled expression. "If the claims we heard about that were true, why wouldn't my father ever tell me about it?"

"What makes you so certain he would?" When Elizabeth gave him a look that mixed annoyance with interest, Will continued on. "If The Clan Of Cortez _is_ real and your father _was_ a member, then don't you think he would have taken an oath to take the secret he was entrusted with to his grave?"

"And not tell his own daughter?"

"That would be the whole point. He would have been forced to not tell anyone at all." Will recalled something the intruder in their house had said. "Maybe he was given the duty of protecting a map which led to whatever The Clan swore to protect."

"And you think that was what the thief was after when he broke into our home?"

"He could have easily been under the assumption that we had what he was after."

"But Barnet told us another robber was caught in the Governor's Mansion the same night."

Will shrugged. "Maybe the person whom they worked for wanted to be ensured; cover any possible alternative." He stopped talking, which brought an uneasy silence down upon Will and Elizabeth.

"What evidence even supports this theory?" Elizabeth blurted out abruptly, causing Will to jump slightly.

Will hesitated, knowing full well that if he told Elizabeth about the tattoo, then that would literally be confirming that Swann's murder had been premeditated. Taking a deep breath, Will came to his decision. "The night we discovered your father's body, I noticed something. A type of tattoo on his forearm. It showed the world with a curved sword surrounding half of it; it clearly represented a "C". This could be the symbol of The Clan Of Cortez."

Elizabeth's face had now changed from troubled to confused. "But...who could do such a thing? Who would be willing to kill in order to gain information?"

"Any man blinded by ambition. Whenever greed consumes us, we as a people have a tendency to commit horrible crimes in order to acquire that which our heart desires."

Elizabeth stared into space for a while, lost in thought. "But, if our conjectures are true, then there is a possibility of something of great importance to my father being hidden in his mansion."

Will nodded in agreement. "The criminal who was caught by Barnet's men inside the mansion only adds to that idea."

"Unfortunately, there is no way of being absolutely sure of this."

A sudden thought entered Will's mind. "Actually, there may be one way."

Elizabeth gazed up into Will's thoughtful eyes with curiosity. "What are you talking about?"

Will shifted himself in the chair so that he was in a straighter sitting position. "I'm suggesting we go to your father's mansion and search it for any trace of a map or something of the same nature."

"Then you believe The Clan Of Cortez may be real?" Elizabeth asked.

"I'm not sure what to believe at the moment. And I see only one way to settle this matter," Will said. "Whoever killed your father was after something, and if you wish to uncover the motives behind this terrible crime, then digging up relics of the past may be the only way to do so."

Elizabeth listened to what Will had to say, but she was not entirely sure that she could bring herself to agree with them. It was true that every fiber of her self-being had been consumed with hatred and sadness over her father's death, but Elizabeth was not entirely sure that she wanted to resort to revenge. But as she gazed out at the calm ocean once again, there was something deep down inside of her that attempted to goad her into searching for this map, even if there was one that existed in the first place. Elizabeth bit her lip, running over her options in her mind.

It was ironic, she thought. At the time when Elizabeth truly believed that Will and her were finally free of the life of pirating that had plagued their past, events had transpired that were seemingly forcing them back into it. But Elizabeth felt something else inside of her that did not seem bothered at all at the idea of sailing the waters of the Caribbean again, on a quest to find something only uttered about in bedtime stories. However, her care for Michael invaded her senses all too soon, and Elizabeth uncomfortably thought of what would happen if she and Will were to bring him along for the journey this time as well. Michael's life had already been endangered once, and his parents were certainly not about to put it at risk for the second time within the course of a few weeks. But her feelings of vengeance concerning avenging her father's death overtook Elizabeth and she finally came to a conclusion.

"Alright. Let's look for this map in my father's mansion. I have to know if my father either died for something or died for nothing. There is a vast difference between the two."

"And if the map is real, what will we do after we find it?"

Elizabeth lifted her head from Will's chest and looked down at him in a slightly surprised manner. "I thought that would have been obvious. We get a ship and search for whatever it is the map leads to. If my father's killer is after it, we need to beat him to it; I don't want them succeeding in their mission."

"How exactly do you propose we go about finding a ship?"

Elizabeth gave Will a lopsided grin. "Again, Mr. Turner, your lack of awareness at the moment amuses me. Seeing as we need a ship in order to hunt down my father's killer, we need Jack...who captains the fastest ship in the Caribbean."

"And Jack's in Tortuga at the moment," Will said, recalling his last words with the pirate when they had returned home.

"So all we have to do is find the map, commandeer another ship to Tortuga, and find Jack."

Will raised an eyebrow. "'Commandeer'?"

Elizabeth shrugged. "Nautical term." She paused as she caught Will's questioning stare. "You said it to me eight years ago: pirate is in our blood. Also, if you were in my position, wouldn't you want to do everything in your power to make sure the man who murdered your father is brought to justice...in some form or another?"

Will sighed and nodded, which caused Elizabeth to genuinely smile for the first time in two days.

"Thank you, Will." She leaned down and gently kissed him on the lips.

"I'll get my father to come stay with Michael while we search the mansion."

Will got up and reentered their house, leaving Elizabeth outside to gaze once more out at the sea. Her confused emotions then evaporated as one of satisfaction began to well up inside her. The knowledge that she was doing something to ensure that her father's murderer be brought to justice somewhat made Elizabeth feel better.

A light breeze blew against her cheek, and Elizabeth sighed as she stared up at the starry sky. She just knew that the wind was her father's spirit giving her a gentle peck on the side of her face. Once again, Elizabeth smiled.


	4. History Lesson

Chapter 4

From aboard his ship, Jacob McGivens had a perfectly clear view of the island of Tortuga through the telescope he was peering through. McGivens saw that the town was bustling with activity under the blanket of night. He spotted people running to and fro, each of them radiating either a sense of urgency or excitement in getting where they needed to be. McGivens shifted the lense of the telescope so that he could sweep the entire town for any sign of the person he was looking for. He soon lost track of how many minutes passed, but that did not matter once McGivens saw a man wrapped in a black traveling cloak hurrying to get to somewhere in the town. McGivens was able to get a clear view of the man's face before he turned to head up the main street. But that infinitesimal look was all McGivens needed; this man was obviously the one he was after.

McGivens lowered the telescope from his eye and smiled ruthlessly, turning to one of his crewmates. "Prepare to make port and ready a longboat. I have a need to go ashore."

"Aye, Captain," the crew member said.

As the crewmate walked away, McGivens reached into his coat pocket and pulled out the gold coin he had stolen from Governor Swann. He examined the circular object, taking in the details of both sides. McGivens especially let his gaze linger on the side that showed a powerful-looking Spanish Armada vessel floating in calm waters. The majesty of such an engraving was amazing; McGivens deduced that the person who created this coin must have seen their fair share of ships such as these in their lifetime. But more importantly, McGivens' thoughts soon shifted to what The Clan Of Cortez had successfully protected for countless years...and the prospect of obtaining such a thing was to convince anyone to go through the very actions McGivens was in order to ensure success. McGivens then replaced the coin back in his pocket and stared back out at the shoreline of Tortuga.

McGivens scanned the line of ships that were already docked there, and his eyes stopped and bulged when he saw a particular ship; a ship with black sails. It only took a moment for McGivens to place where he had seen the ship before, and when he did, his insides burned with loathing.

The ship was The Black Pearl, captained by a pirate named Jack Sparrow. McGivens recalled all too well the last time he had come into contact with the eccentric pirate. It had been eight years ago, and Sparrow and his crew had shanghaied McGivens into believing that they could hunt down a thief who had stolen half of a treasure map which led to the Bermuda Triangle. Sparrow himself has masqueraded as the captured prisoner and had succeeded in acquiring the other half of the map, temporarily incapacitating McGivens and his men in the process.

After that, McGivens had vowed to track down Sparrow to the best of his abilities and repay the pirate captain for what he did to him. Now finally, after eight years of searching in addition to preparing this whole Clan situation, McGivens was about to get his revenge while fulfilling the next step in getting closer to The Clan Of Cortez.

McGivens withdrew a pistol from his belt and checked to see that it was properly loaded and when he was satisfied, put it back where it had been before.

Shortly there after, McGivens had sat himself down in a longboat and was paddling with the wooden oars toward the docks of Tortuga.

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The man known as "Smith" amongst the regular inhabitants of Tortuga was currently weaving in and out of villagers in an attempt to get to his destination: the town pub. Earlier in the day, Smith had received an urgent letter informing him of a most unfortunate and grave event that had recently transpired. That event being The Clan Of Cortez's secret-keeper had been murdered two days ago; Governor Weatherby Swann of Port Royal. The letter also said that The Clan itself, in light of the tragic demise of one of their own, was reconvening at the usual spot in order to debate what to do next. Seeing as Smith was a full-fledged member of The Clan himself, he was required at the meeting. But in order for him to reach the location in time, Smith needed a ship. And he knew for a fact that a close personal friend of his who also knew of The Clan was in Tortuga at the present time, so Smith had met with him earlier and told him to meet him behind the pub in five minutes.

Smith finally arrived in the small area behind the town pub and glanced around anxiously. His friend was nowhere to be seen, but what Smith did see was a muddy pig stye where the animals snorted and ate from their troughs. Wooden benches were scattered here and there, so Smith approached one and sat down.

He waited for a few minutes, twiddling his fingers nervously. Smith's eyes darted in every direction, searching for a sign of his friend. Suddenly, the pub's back door swung open, filling the night air with the sound of animated arguing and the giggling of women. A woman's fascinated voice became audible.

"Oh, tell us more, Jack!"

"Very well," came a familiar voice. When Smith heard this voice, he jumped to his feet and sighed with relief when he saw a man, both his arms around the shoulders of two different women, emerge from the pub. The man seemed to be reveling in the attention he was receiving from the females at his side. "After that, the prince blessed me with this ring and all the rum I could drink! Then, we celebrated until we were too drunk to form a cohesive sentence."

Smith silently dashed up behind the group and grinned. "Jack," he said, getting the man's attention.

Captain Jack Sparrow turned around to see who it was and immediately beamed. "Ah, Smith! Fancy meeting you here!"

Smith frowned slightly. "Er, I told you to meet me here, remember?"

"Did you, now?" Jack screwed up his face in concentration until realization finally dawned on him. "So you did!" he exclaimed, snapping his fingers. "I'm sorry, mate. It seems that I've had too much rum."

"As always," Smith breathed. He looked uneasily at the two women surrounding Jack. "Uh, Jack, I was hoping we could talk alone."

Jack glanced at both women and nodded. "Scarlett, Giselle, can you allow us a moment in private?"

"But, Jack!" Giselle whined, "You promised us a tour of The Black Pearl!"

"Another time," said Jack as he ushered them both back into the pub.

Scarlett and Giselle slammed the back door behind them.

Jack frowned. "Nothing ever seems to go right with those two." He turned to Smith. "So, what's bothering you, mate?"

"Jack," Smith began seriously, "you'll recall all of the times I've helped point you in the right direction whenever you were trying to find a treasure or something else of the same magnitude and you would always say that you would one day repay me for my generosity?"

"Yes."

"Well, I need that favor now. Remember what I told you about a secret society known as The Clan Of Cortez?"

"Vaguely," said Jack.

"Well, the Clan is reconvening due to our secret-keeper being murdered. I'm in need of a ship in order to get to the meeting."

"And seeing as I am a captain of a ship meself, you want me to take you to this...meeting, am I correct?"

Smith nodded his head.

"But let me ask you, Smith...what's in it for me?"

Smith smiled at Jack. "The Clan knows the location of the compiled pieces of treasure that Cortez himself plundered when he was alive. If you allow me to sail with you, I might be able to get you some...souvenirs."

"Will you, now?" Jack paused for a moment in silent contemplation. "Is the treasure worth it?"

"Definitely."

"Before I agree to this, I feel obliged to ask whether or not there's danger involved with a shady operation such as this. Savvy?"

"Since our secret-keeper was murdered in an attempt to obtain the map to a group of uncharted islands that Cortez himself discovered and hid his treasure on, I'd say that there are most certainly people out there who are willing to kill to get it."

"How can you be so certain that this murderer hasn't come into possession of the map?"

"We can't. All The Clan knows is that it has to reconvene in order to decide what to do next."

Jack thought this over for a while. "Who was the member that was murdered?"

"Our secret-keeper who was entrusted with the duty of protecting the map. Governor Weatherby Swann."

Jack's face fell at hearing those words. "Swann? Governor Weatherby Swann of Port Royal?"

"Aye. You know him?"

"In a manner of speaking," replied Jack somewhat uncomfortably. "I know his daughter, Elizabeth Swann...er, Elizabeth _Turner_. The bonnie lass always makes a point of her last name."

"Married?"

"Yep. By none other than yours truly," said Jack, spreading his arms. "And I must tell you, mate, that Lizzie and her dearly beloved may try to take matters in their own hands."

"Swann's daughter will want to avenge her father's death, then?"

"Most likely."

In the silence that followed, a sudden idea sprang up inside Jack's head. Grinning in his usual manner, Jack started to relay the thought to Smith.

"Then if that be the case, what say we wait for the couple to come here, seeking my help?"

"You honestly think Swann's daughter will come to you for help?'

Jack smiled again. "Smith, let me enlighten you. Whenever young William and Elizabeth are in mortal peril, they always manage to find me and beg me to assist them. With William and Elizabeth Turner along for the voyage, I can guarantee arriving at your little meeting."

"Hold on, Jack." Smith raised up a hand to stop the pirate captain. "I said I _want_ to attend the meeting, I never said The Clan would _let_ me."

"Ah," said Jack, catching on, "so you're a rogue member, eh? Disgraced and shunted by your peers?"

"I'd rather not talk about it," Smith said stiffly. "Suffice it to say that their accusations against me were baseless. I never once plotted to betray them."

Jack stared seriously at Smith for a while before speaking again. "Then the daughter of the former secret-keeper may be your key into getting in the meeting unopposed. After all, how could they deny the presence of the child of who was probably their most important member?"

"You do have a point there," Smith admitted. "You're right."

"Of course I'm right. I'm always right. I'm Captain Jack Sparrow!"

"Listen, Jack. Part of the secret-keeper's job was to pass along the duty of protecting The Clan and their secret from anybody and everybody seen as a threat to them. That's why they chose Weatherby Swann; he was on the rise to the position of Governor when he was appointed secret-keeper, and during his time, he successfully used his influences and power in the Caribbean waters to ensure that we remained hidden from the rest of the world."

"A clandestine society thriving under the noses of other organizations such as the East India Trading Company. But, indulge me if you will. Is a treasure really worth this much secrecy?"

Smith gave Jack a look of interest. "What makes you so certain The Clan only protects a treasure?"

"Is there something more to this whole story that I haven't been made aware of yet?"

Smith grinned. "You don't need to know that just yet."

"Then when will I need to be made privy to that particular information?"

"In time, Jack. In time."

"Well, I have a ship and a crew; something you yourself require at the moment. And I'm afraid there'll be no sailing until I know the purpose for the sailing, savvy?"

"And I assure you, Jack, you _will_ be rightfully informed...but we need to get to the gathering first. Now, how can you be sure your friends will come here?"

"Because the last time I spoke with the Turners, I told them that I would be staying in Tortuga for some time. With Elizabeth's father killed, and them more likely discovering the truth and the secrets behind the murder, I can assure you that we will be graced with their presence by this time tomorrow."

Smith sighed. "I just hope you realize what you're getting yourself into, Jack."

"Mate, I'm _Captain Jack Sparrow_! I always know what I'm getting meself into."

Smith nodded knowingly before he and Jack made their way into the pub for a few drinks. Neither of them noticed the figure of McGivens, who was standing nearby, hidden in the shadows, having just heard every word.

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Back in Port Royal, Will and Elizabeth's carriage came to a halt in front of the main entrance to the Governor's Mansion. The door swung open, allowing Will and Elizabeth to jump down onto the ground and hurry over to the front door of the mansion. Will pulled a key out from his coat and stuffed into the keyhole, twisting it in the proper direction instantly.

Will and Elizabeth entered the darkened mansion without hesitation. It was absolutely impossible to see anything at the moment, so Elizabeth crossed the main hall to a table that had a sliding drawer built in beneath it. Elizabeth opened the drawer and picked up a wax candlestick that was lying inside it. She then removed a match from a matchbox beside it, flicked it to life, and touched the flame to the candle's tip.

The faint new light illuminated a small area of space around Elizabeth, providing both her and Will with a better advantage. The flame of the candle flickered back and forth, casting slightly elongated shadows over the clean wooden floor.

Guided by the light of the candle, Will and Elizabeth slowly began to make their way toward the Governor's study, where the couple deduced that anything that required their immediate attention would be. As they were creeping along the hallway leading to the study, the silence that occupied the empty mansion caused a sense of foreboding to course through Will and Elizabeth's veins.

Elizabeth never realized how frightening certain aspects of the mansion could be in the dead of night. Paintings of family members and Governors before Swann seemed to have opposite appearances when the sun set. The glow of the candle made their serious and stoic faces seem ghastly and almost demonic, which sent chills down the spines of both Will and Elizabeth. This was incentive enough to cause them to take greater strides toward the study in an attempt to escape the evil eyes staring down at them.

When Will and Elizabeth finally reached the study door, they felt somewhat relieved. The door was closed, but all it took to open it was Will twisting the knob firmly and pushing the door inward. The door creaked ominously as it swung, revealing the dark and empty study that awaited Will and Elizabeth on the other side.

Will followed Elizabeth inside, almost cautiously because some part of him feared that someone might jump out and attack at any moment. The candle illuminated the abandoned study as if it were a cell located in a dank and dingy dungeon. The chilling appearance did nothing to stem Will and Elizabeth's uneasiness.

The couple looked at each other.

"I'll search the shelves, you do the desk," said Will.

Elizabeth nodded before walking over to the wall and lighting different candlesticks in order to provide her husband with sources of light whilst he examined every nook and cranny. Elizabeth then made her way over to her father's desk and placed her still glowing candle in an iron holder.

At first, Elizabeth wanted to check the drawers built within the wooden structure for any sign of a map, but her eyes had been attracted to an envelope laying in the center of the desk, her name scribbled onto the front. Immediately, Elizabeth recognized the writing as her father's, and she did not hesitate in picking it up and turning it over in her hands. Next, Elizabeth snatched up a letter opener and placed the blade under the folded portion of the envelope. However, Elizabeth stopped and glanced up to spy Will engrossed in perusing the bookshelves.

Elizabeth bit her lip and willed herself to rip open the envelope. The noise did not seem to attract Will's attention, so Elizabeth pulled out the folded piece of paper tucked carefully within. Elizabeth then began to read what was written on the paper, and felt a lump rise in her throat.

The letter read as follows:

_My dearest Elizabeth,_

_If you are reading this letter, then it is a result of my death, or murder, put more righteously. Who killed me I cannot say, because I am writing this letter before fleeing to the docks._

_First of all, I want you to know that I love you with all my heart and I will continue to do so even in death. You were a blessing of a daughter to me, and not a day went by where I did not show you the unwavering affection for you that allowed my heart to beat every single day. There is so much to tell you, about both the reason I will be killed and your family._

_I cannot continue writing this letter if I do not tell you straight away the truth about your mother. Your mother did not die when you were a child...she left us. Why, I am still unsure of. You see, Elizabeth, your mother, Meredith, led a life quite opposite of the one you were raised in. Your mother sailed the seas with a crew when I first met her. She was a pirate. Over time, we fell in love, got married, and she gave birth to two beautiful girls. That's right, you have a sister, Elizabeth._

_Her name is Catherine, and your mother took her when she left Port Royal. Again, I am still unclear as to why they left. But it was not because your mother and I did not love each other anymore; we did. I am certain that the two of them are still alive somewhere in the Caribbean looking for you, and you may just find them one day._

_But unfortunately, that is not the pressing matter. There is a reason behind my assassination. We all have secrets that never see the light of day, it is merely human nature. And the secret I am about to divulge is most certainly one that is worth killing for._

_Long ago, when I was much younger, I was approached by a group of men whom I was friends with. These men and I were all part of a secret society that still exists today. This society was called The Clan Of Cortez, formed a long time ago by the Spanish conquistador himself. The purpose of The Clan is to protect a collection of priceless artifacts of treasure that Cortez plundered when he sailed with his Armada. Cortez needed somewhere to store all of his riches without anyone knowing about it, so when he inadvertently discovered a group of uncharted islands located somewhere in the Caribbean, his ambitions had been realized. _

_In order to ensure that none of his enemies could find the islands, he struck a deal with the sea goddess Calypso. Calypso put an enchantment over the vortex housing these islands so that no one except Cortez and the men he trusted enough to guard this secret could be aware of their existence. Because of that, Cortez went to his men whom he could trust the most and informed them of the islands. Over time, the number of people privy to this information grew larger, and they named themselves The Clan Of Cortez._

_The Clan knew that they had to go to whatever lengths necessary to keep the secret from leaking out into the world. There were and there still are people who will kill in order to find the treasure and the other secret held on the islands. As you know, Elizabeth, greed corrupts all men, but corruption as a result of a thirst for power can be even more deadly. Cortez also wished for Calypso to do more for him than just provide protection for his treasures. Cortez commanded his own personal fleet of Spanish Armada vessels, each of which were extremely powerful. Cortez did not want control of this fleet to belong to anyone else, so part of the deal he struck with Calypso was to preserve these ships, along with him and his crew. Cortez and his men then became part of the undead, but Calypso, being as conniving as she was, suspended Cortez and his men in a state where they would be temporarily dead, until such a time where the proper spell would reawaken Cortez. But that wasn't all. Calypso made Cortez swear that once reawakened, he would summon forth Calypso in human form, and Cortez agreed._

_So, as you see, a conspiracy such as this runs deeper than it appears to. The Clan Of Cortez not only protects a valuable cache of Aztec gold and other pieces of treasure from around the world, but control of Cortez's fleet of Spanish Armada ships and the peace of the seas. Now, it is time for me to pass along the duty of secret-keeper to you, Elizabeth. You must go to the gathering of The Clan and ensure the protection of this information at all costs. If the wrong people find out about this, then it could spell the end of life as it is now. Go in my place to The Clan; they will convene again once they learn of my murder. I have every confidence in you and Will. I sincerely trust you will take the proper course of action._

_Once again, I love you with all my heart._

_Your Father._

By the time Elizabeth had finished reading the letter, an expression which combined sadness and surprise had been fixated upon her face. This was a lot of information to absorb in such a short period of time. Not only had Elizabeth learned the motives behind her father's murder, but she had just discovered that her mother did not in fact die and that she may very well be out there at this very moment, searching for the daughter she apparently had been forced to abandon. In addition, Elizabeth also had a sister that she knew nothing of.

A desire to set out in search for both of them slowly consumed Elizabeth, however she forced herself to cast those emotions away. The more pressing matter at the moment concerned fulfilling her father's dying request to head out in search of The Clan's meeting place and take part in whatever action they decided was necessary in keeping their secret from becoming exposed.

Just then, a sudden thought occurred to Elizabeth. She skimmed over the letter once more and as a result, confusion clouded her mind.In the letter, her father had never told her where to find the map that led to the islands he had talked about. But, as Elizabeth feverishly turned the parchment over in her palms, she noticed a line of minuscule writing at the bottom of the paper:

_The map is hidden in the globe._

It was at that moment that Elizabeth realized Will's head peering over her shoulder, also reading the letter. Will glanced at Elizabeth and smirked slightly.

"Let's look in the globe, then."

He motioned toward a globe of the world, perched upon the desk at its far right corner. Will helped Elizabeth to her feet (she had also not been aware of the fact that she had sunk to her knees whilst reading the letter) and they both took the few steps separating them from the object in question.

Will and Elizabeth simply stared at the globe for a while before looking at each other and nodding. Will firmly placed his hands on either side of the circular model and twisted the top half in the counterclockwise direction. The half of the globe spun around under Will's hands until a faint clicking noise was heard and the portion of the globe was loose enough to pull free.

After Will had done so, he and Elizabeth saw a piece of parchment that had been folded three times resting against the wall of the globe, the top of it protruding outward.

Without so much as a second thought, Elizabeth reached out and snatched up the parchment. Apprehensively, she unfolded it until it had been opened to it's fullest extent.

Inscribed upon the parchment were the unmistakable markings that comprised a map. Intricate drawings of landmasses were scattered about here and there, separated by miniature versions of sea, the names of which were written in neat handwriting. The drawing of an island that particularly stood out was one that was labeled "Isla de Secretos", which translates "Island of Secrets". Underneath this text was a miniature version of The Clan's symbol of the world and the "C" shaped sword; Will instantly recognized this.

He turned to Elizabeth. "It appears that this is all more than just a bedtime story."

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Half an hour later. Will, Elizabeth, and "Bootstrap" Bill Turner were hunched over a table inside Will and Elizabeth's living room, all of them studying the map. The room was lit by the roaring and crackling fire in the fireplace, casting the room in a mysterious light.

Will straightened himself up and rubbed his eyes, trying his best to fight off the fatigue that was threatening to sweep over him.

"Those waters don't look familiar at all," he said. "How are we supposed to sail to an island located in the middle of an expanse of ocean we've never come across before?"

Bootstrap sighed and stood himself up to face his son. "I have."

"What?"

"I've sailed these waters before."

Will looked between the map that lay open on the small table and his father, his face a mask of contemplation. "Are you sure?"

"Aye. Back when I was pirating with Jack and Barbossa, we crossed this area numerous times. If anybody can get you safely through that part of the Caribbean, it's Jack and me."

"So you're volunteering to come along, then?"

"Aye."

Will and Elizabeth exchanged uncertain expressions. "But if you come with us," Will began, "then who'll be here to watch over Michael while we're gone?"

"What makes you so certain he won't want to come along?"

"It's not that," said Elizabeth. "Will and I just think that bringing Michael along this time would endanger his life even more than the incident with the Amulet of Atlantis. And as his parents, we're not willing to put his life at risk."

"I understand that, but did you ever give any thought to the notion that whoever hired your father's killer could possibly be someone in Port Royal?"

"What are you suggesting?"

"That Barnet ordered your father to be killed."

For the second time that night, confusion overtook Elizabeth. "Why would Barnet want my father dead?"

Bootstrap took a deep breath. "Because Weatherby and I were close; he confided in me. He said he feared Barnet came here with the intention of taking over."

"How would he do that?" asked Will. "I was next in line for the title of Governor, not Barnet. And I rightfully inherited it."

"Aye, however Weatherby said that Barnet was mainly concerned with removing you two from the picture."

Will's face darkened and he looked toward Elizabeth. "Barnet is a member of the East India Trading Company, so that must mean they're coming after us again."

"Because we've had affiliation with Jack since the Dead Man's Chest incident," said Elizabeth.

Will's eyes darkened. "Then we can't leave Michael here because Barnet will come after him."

"And Jacquelyn," breathed Elizabeth. "She's spending the night and Barnet will more likely know that she's Jack's daughter because he drugged Mary in order to acquire certain information."

"If Barnet hopes to kidnap Jacquelyn so he can use her as leverage against Jack, then she can't stay here either."

"But how would Barnet do that if Jack doesn't even know he has a daughter? And what about Mary?"

"Mary Thomas?" asked Bootstrap. "Barnet had her thrown in jail today."

"_What? Why?"_

"Probably framed her for a crime she didn't commit. Her daughter doesn't know seeing as she was here with you two most of today, that and Barnet doesn't want her to know."

"What could Barnet hope to accomplish by doing this?"

"Like I said, he wants you out of the picture. Barnet probably sees you as a threat in his quest for control of the seas."

Realization dawned on Elizabeth. "And what The Clan Of Cortez protects could give him that."

"So he orders your father to be killed, sends two of his men to our house and the mansion in an attempt to find the map, and has his top man try to infiltrate The Clan," said Will.

"Then we must get to the meeting before Barnet's hired gun," concluded Elizabeth.

"We need a ship, first of all."

"Barnet has ships docked in the town, why don't we just steal one of them?" asked Bootstrap.

"Steal?"

Bootstrap shrugged. "Pirate _is_ in our blood. Now, you two get prepared while I get Michael and Jacquelyn. This is your chance to begin to repay Barnet."

As Bootstrap headed toward the children's room, Will folded the map back up. He turned to Elizabeth, who appeared distant. Will tucked the map away inside his pocket and came closer to her.

"We're doing the right thing," he told her in reassuring voice. "This is what your father wanted you to do."

Elizabeth stared at Will in that same distant fashion. "I want revenge," she said plainly.

Will stared down at the floor. "Elizabeth..."

"No, don't try to persuade me otherwise. My father was taken from me when he didn't deserve to die. I'm not going to rest until I get revenge."

"Revenge won't make the pain go away, try as you might. It'll only make it worse."

"I don't care."

"Elizabeth...," Will tried to gently stroke her cheek, but Elizabeth walked away.

"We should get ready. We need to go soon."

Will watched Elizabeth disappear up the stairs and waited for a few moments in silence before following behind her.

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Barrnet and Mercer walked along the docks in the dead of night, their surroundings lighted by lanterns. The pair conversed in hushed tones, as if there was a huge crowd closing in around them, eager to listen to what they were saying.

"As requested, the remaining man under McGivens' employ has been...dealt with," said Mercer emotionlessly.

"Would it be obvious that it was murder?" asked Barnet.

"No. I killed him as we discussed. To anybody who discovers the body, it'll appear as nothing more than suicide."

"Excellent. We don't need any unwanted trouble."

Just then, Barnet and Mercer halted in their tracks. They had spotted a deserted carriage at the docks, a carriage that certainly had not been there before. Mercer whipped out a pistol while Barnet pulled out a sword with an intricate hilt.

A slight breeze rippled their cloaks as the two villains searched the area for suspicious figures. As Barnet and Mercer circled the carriage, they noticed that the door was open.

The sound of movement originating from the wooden walkway that led to one of the ships attracted their attention. Barnet was the first to reach the walkway, and he encountered a cloaked and hooded figure starting to walk toward the ship. Barnet quickly placed the tip of his sword at the back of the person's neck, his grip unwavering.

"Turn slowly," he spat.

The hooded figure did as they were commanded, and Barnet found himself staring into the face of Bill Turner.

"I know who you are," said Mercer. "You're the father of Governor Will Turner. What are you doing here at this late an hour?"

"Stealing one of your ships," replied Bootstrap evenly.

Another shuffle of movement from afar averted Barnet's and Mercer's eyes. They were able to see the nearest ship start to drift away from the dock. All of a sudden, Bootstrap lashed out with his foot and kicked Mercer in the gut as he whipped out a small sword, momentarily dueled Barnet with a few quick swipes, and finally dashed away toward the retreating vessel.

Regaining his composure, Mercer pulled back the hammer of his pistol and aimed it at the back of Bootstrap, who was still running. But Barnet placed a firm hand upon Mercer's arm and forced it down.

"Don't discharge your weapon. We don't want to attract unwanted attention."

"But...they're escaping!"

Barnet gave Mercer a look. "Who do you think stole that ship?" He indicated the object in question as Bootstrap managed to jump aboard.

Mercer's eyes widened. "The Turners!"

"Of course. That must mean they've uncovered the map. Obviously, they'll seek out the help of Jack Sparrow, so all that remains is to let McGivens pursue them seeing as he's already in Tortuga. Mr. Mercer, we are one step closer in discovering Cortez's uncharted islands."


	5. Trouble In Tortuga

A/N: For anyone new to my stories, please note that this, nor the other three I've written, have nothing whatsoever to do with AWE. They follow the storyline I've laid out for this saga of my own.

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Chapter 5

The following night, the East India Trading Company ship that the Turners had stolen arrived at port in Tortuga. Onboard, Will and Elizabeth went about helping Bootstrap secure the ropes that had been tied to the pegs on the docks, Michael and Jacquelyn observing them from the side of the deck.

"I still don't know why you're parents had to bring me along," Jacquelyn said to Michael. "I'm not even sure my mother knows what they did."

"I'm sure they would have told her," Michael reassured her. "Like I told you before, my mum and dad have done this type of thing before."

"And it's true you've met Captain Jack Sparrow?" Jacquelyn asked eagerly. "I still can't believe he's my dad! What's he like?"

Michael shrugged. "I guess you can say he's just like we thought he would be. But he does seem to have a few swords that are not that sharp, if you know what I mean."

"So that's why we're here, is it?" Jacquelyn turned around to face the island of Tortuga, which was alight with candles and lanterns both inside and outside of the somewhat shabby establishments. "We're going to try and find Jack Sparrow?"

Michael nodded. "He's always helped my parents when they needed it." He inclined his head to the upper portion of the main deck, where Will and Elizabeth were silently conversing with Bootstrap. "But I wish I knew why my mum and dad need his help in the first place."

Jacquelyn smiled slightly at Michael. "Adults...they never seem to see eye-to-eye with us. That's why they see fit to keep certain things from us and treat us a certain way sometimes, which can make us want to have a little fun with them."

Michael grinned. "Fun meaning 'torment'?"

"That's why we're such good friends, Michael. We understand each other."

Meanwhile, on the raised part of the deck, Will and Elizabeth were discussing their best course of action with Bootstrap.

"First and foremost, we need to go ashore and find Jack. The Pearl can get us to The Clan meeting in the quickest time," said Will.

"And what do you plan on telling him to convince him to come along?" Bootstrap inquired.

"Whatever we have to," Elizabeth intoned seriously. "Jack's assistance and the advantage his ship carries is of the utmost importance in trying to avenge my father."

Bootstrap looked at Elizabeth concernedly. "Vengeance can be a curious thing, Elizabeth. But even more curious is a thirst for revenge. If you let it, revenge can consume your entire being and turn you into something terrible."

Elizabeth appeared slightly confused. "Are you worried that I'll turn into a heartless pirate who will only crave more violence after all this is finished?"

"No," Bootstrap shook his head. "No, of course not."

"Well, you're wrong!" Elizabeth snapped. "It was my father's dying wish for me to carry this out, and I'm going to make sure it is! All that's consuming me at the moment is determination!"

"Well, you can never be too certain of that."

"You know something, I don't need to stand here and listen to this lecture. And I certainly don't need your pity or your concern; what I need is confidence, cooperation, and understanding! Now, when you're ready to offer that...both of you," Elizabeth's eyes darted in between Will and Bootstrap, "be sure to let me know."

That being said, Elizabeth stormed down the steps which led to the lower part of the main deck. Will and Bootstrap continued to stand at the railing that was before the ship's navigation wheel. Each of them had solemn, yet grave expressions upon their faces.

"She's obviously not coping with things in the proper manner," Bootstrap spoke up at last.

"Elizabeth has shed her fair amount of tears over her father's death. I'm just concerned that she's become too hardened by her determination to fulfill her father's last request...and she's too hardened for her own good."

"Then you need to speak with her."

"At the opportune moment. Any attempt to try to soothe her feelings Elizabeth would simply cast away right now." Will was watching his wife begin to prepare to go ashore with a sympathetic glimmer in his eyes. "She's just overwhelmed."

"Aye. Losing a loved one in your life is such a terrible ordeal. I remember learning of your mother's death after I had made my pact with Davy Jones...it felt as if my heart had been plunged into ice-cold water. What Elizabeth is going through, I've been there. It's something I wouldn't wish for you."

"I've already experienced it. I know what it's like...losing a parent. I just wish I don't have to go through that with either Elizabeth or Michael."

Bootstrap gave his son a solemn look. "None of us wish that. Unfortunately, it is something neither you nor I can control; it's merely God's will."

Will nodded as an uneasy silence settled over the pair of them. Finally, Will cleared his throat. "We should, um...we should get going."

Bootstrap followed Will down to the lower deck. Once there, Will assisted Elizabeth in preparing the necessary equipment. After that was done, he turned to Bootstrap.

"After we go, take Michael and Jacquelyn and come ashore. Wait for us where we can be sure to see you once we return to the docks with Jack."

"We're not keeping the ship?"

Will shook his head. "We have no further need for it. Besides, the Black Pearl will be able to get us to our destination in twice the time it would take this ship."

Bootstrap nodded. "How long do you think it'll take you to convince Jack?"

"I'm not sure. Just be ready to board the Pearl at a moment's notice."

"Aye."

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Minutes later, after Will and Elizabeth had relayed the plan to Michael and Jacquelyn, the couple departed from the ship, heading off into the town of Tortuga in order to locate the pirate that they had come to know all too well over the years.

Will and Elizabeth made their way toward the pub as fast as they could, weaving in and out of drunken men and women who were engaging in raucous activities. Brawls were in progress, rum was being consumed endlessly, and people were either passing out or already passed out due to the copious amounts of rum that they had drunk. Will and Elizabeth observed all this with looks of disgust; they had never quite gotten over how appalling this sight could be.

Elizabeth had tied her hair up in a bun, which was hidden under her hat. A few strands of hair hung down on either side of her eyes and in front of her forehead, but her gender was still successfully concealed. Elizabeth knew that it was not a particularly good idea to flaunt the fact that she was a woman in front of countless drunken men who were searching for the pleasurable company of a woman. But all the same, Elizabeth knew that Will would protect her from any intoxicated idiots no matter what.

She sighed to herself and gazed over at Will, who had his eyes fixed upon the path ahead. Elizabeth regretted snapping at Will and Bootstrap earlier when they had tried to comfort her; she knew that they were only trying to help her through this difficult time. Biting her lip, Elizabeth slipped her hand into Will's and squeezed it affectionately.

Will turned his head to look at Elizabeth and Elizabeth gave him a small smile.

"Listen, Will, I'm sorry about before. I'm just going through a lot right now and need someone who understands me."

Will nodded. "I understand, Elizabeth. And I certainly do not blame you for being so petulant from time to time; it's only natural."

"Once we find The Clan and the treasure everything will be fine."

Will paused before replying. "Do you still want to kill your father's murderer?"

Elizabeth stared at her feet and answered from her heart. "I honestly don't know at this point. There's a part of me that wants revenge for what happened to my father, but there's another part of me that knows if I do carry it out, it'll only make the pain worse.

"This is not my internal struggle, Elizabeth," said Will, "So I cannot advise you on what to do. It's up to you alone to make this decision, and I trust you to search your heart for the genuine answer."

Elizabeth leaned in and kissed Will tenderly on the cheek. "Thank you."

The couple continued their trek until they had reached the town pub. Both Will and Elizabeth gazed up at the swinging wooden sign above the door before entering, ready for the inevitable madness that awaited them on the other side.

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The rumble of animated conversation and roars of drunken laughter filled the air inside the pub. Each table was occupied, but different people still wandered the floor, either returning from the bar with fresh drinks or going back up there for refills. In the background, music was being played on violins by men who seemed to be the only ones not intoxicated by alcohol.

Sitting around a table in the far corner of the tavern was McGivens, along with a few of his men. Each and every one of them were conspicuously eyeing a table toward the center of the pub, where Jack, the Clan member, and a few of Jack's crewmates were sitting and enjoying hearty swigs of rum. McGivens stared at Jack intently, while still making sure to keep his observation unnoticed by the pirate or any of his crew members.

Just then, the door to the pub opened and two new figures stepped inside. One was a man with rugged and handsome features, along with well-built, muscular arms. The other person appeared to be a young man as well, but upon closer inspection, it turned out that it was really a woman cleverly posing as a man; in a town such as Tortuga, who could blame a woman of her build to want to conceal her gender? Immediately, these two people did not attract the attention of McGivens, but they did once they had made their way over to Jack Sparrow's table. The instant McGivens saw this, he straightened himself up in his chair and unblinkingly watched what was happening.

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Will and Elizabeth had spotted Jack the moment they had entered the pub. He was sitting toward the center of the tavern, drinking and conversing with a few of his crew members. Without hesitation, Will and Elizabeth walked over to Jack, coming up behind him.

"Jack," said Will in a voice that he made sure was audible over the pub's raucous.

Jack turned around to see who had addressed him, and Will noticed immediately that his eyes were unfocused; as usual, Jack Sparrow was drunk. But when Jack saw Will, a surprised yet happy expression came across his face.

"William!" Jack then noticed Elizabeth was standing beside his blacksmith friend. "Lizzie! What a surprise pleasant...I mean, pleasant surprise!"

Elizabeth rolled her eyes at Jack's drunkenness.

"What brings you two to Tortuga?'

Will bent down so that Jack could properly hear and comprehend what he had to say. "Jack, Elizabeth and I need your help."

"When was the last time you didn't need it, mate? Although, it _is_ an odd coincidence that you once again require my assistance in a matter that obviously calls for a pirate's touch after just one week has passed since our last little escapade."

"It does seem to strain credulity," Elizabeth said sarcastically.

"Jack, we have to discuss something. In private," Will added as he eyed the members of Jack's crew.

"Alright, then." Jack stood up, his rum bottle still clutched in his hands. He then motioned for the person that was sitting beside him to stand up as well. "But I think this bloke over here may have something contributory to add to our little chat."

Before either Will or Elizabeth could inquire further into the statement, Jack began to usher them all up the stairs that led to a small collection of private rooms located above the pub.

From the table in the far corner, McGivens watched this and when he was sure that Jack and his friends had disappeared up the steps, he ordered his men to follow him in the same direction.

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Jack, his three pirate friends behind him, came to a halt in front of an old and weathered door in the hallway that was located directly above the pub. He cautiously placed his hand upon the door and lightly rapped on it, bringing his hand back instantly as if the door was burning hot. After a few seconds had passed in which no sound of movement came from the other side, Jack grabbed the doorknob and twisted it, causing the door to swing inward. Jack turned back to the rest of his group and smiled.

"Usually, there's an annoying couple behind these doors who...well, suffice it to say that they just come up to these rooms for a little privacy."

Jack politely gestured ahead of him with his arm, allowing the Turners and Smith to enter the room before him. Once the door had closed behind the contingent of four people, McGivens and his men peeked tentatively around the corner, making sure that the coast was clear. Then, they stealthily crept over to the doorway in order to try to listen in on the conversation that would soon begin on the other side.

Inside the room, Jack made sure that the door was locked before he turned around to face Will, Elizabeth, and Smith.

"So, Will, we are now secluded from the drunken idiots downstairs. What is it you wished to talk to me about?"

Will took a deep breath, not wanting to waste time with unnecessary small-talk. "Jack, Elizabeth's father has been murdered."

"So sorry about that, luv," Jack said genuinely to Elizabeth.

"Thanks, Jack. However there is more to us coming to you than just my father's murder." Elizabeth looked over at Will, clearly wanting him to continue.

"Elizabeth's father was a member of a clandestine society known as –..."

"The Clan Of Cortez." Jack finished Will's sentence, much to his surprise.

"You know of The Clan?" Elizabeth inquired, asking what was on Will's mind before he could get the words out.

"In a manner." Jack indicated the man standing against the far wall. "This bloke over here just happens to be a former member."

"'Former'?" Will queried. "Why use the term former?"

"Well," Jack smirked, "the definition of the word means that the topic of discussion is no longer a part of whatever the other topic of discussion happens to be."

Elizabeth gave Jack a confused look. "What you just said doesn't make any sense at all."

Jack nodded. "I know. Now, why don't you inquire further into my comrade's knowledge of said Clan?"

Will and Elizabeth looked at each other with expressions that showed Jack's suggestion might be worth a shot and addressed the other man in the room.

"What's your name?"

The man stepped forward into the candlelight, which illuminated his worn and scraggly facial features. "You can call me Smith, Mrs. Turner. As a matter of fact, I recall meeting your father some time ago."

"Really?"

"Yes. He was The Clan's secret-keeper. And just before I was cast out, we had the pleasure of speaking with one another. He was a noble man, and from what I could tell, he loved you very much."

"I know," was all Elizabeth was able to say at these words.

"But there is a rule in The Clan Of Cortez. Whenever the secret-keeper fears that his or her life may be in danger, they have an obligation to pass along their secret to their kin, in other words, you Mrs. Turner."

Elizabeth nodded. "Yes, my father did leave behind a letter informing me of this and what The Clan protects."

"Which is...?" Jack prompted. "Please, divulge that particular information. I'm still a little iffy in that department."

"Very well, Jack," said Smith. "In addition to guarding Cortez's cache of stolen treasure, The Clan also keeps a watchful eye over the resting place of Cortez's preserved Spanish Armada vessels as well as Cortez and his damned crew."

"Ah, now that would be considered a better motive for murder than simply silver and gold."

"But what's worse is that if someone outside of The Clan finds out about this and discovers the burial island, then if they're aware of how to summon forth the ships and Cortez and kill him, then they would have control over not only Cortez's ships but the sea goddess Calypso as well."

"Calypso?" said Jack nervously.

"Aye. However, the sea goddess would still be trapped in human form."

"But if Calypso were to return, would she possess the power to manipulate the seas as before?"

"Aye, she would have considerable power. But first, she would be obliged to do whatever the killer of Cortez commands."

Will looked uncomfortably at Elizabeth. "If Barnet's man does all this, then Barnet could order his associate to tell Calypso to destroy every pirate ship in the Caribbean."

"And he would also have the power of the Spanish Armada at his fingertips," Elizabeth finished darkly. "So he have to find The Clan and this...burial island before it's too late."

"But," Jack piped up, "I thought the pirate Brethren Court imprisoned Calypso in her fleshy form long ago?"

"Aye, but Cortez found Calypso before that happened. Calypso was aware of her impending fate and provided Cortez with the knowledge on how to reawaken her in her human form. However, some years ago, there was a short period of time where Calypso was granted a brief spell in the mortal realm and she spent three days wandering the seas. Nobody is still sure how that was accomplished."

"And what's to stop Calypso if she does indeed return?" asked Jack.

"I don't know," admitted Smith. "But what I do know is that we must do whatever it takes to prevent this from happening." He turned to Elizabeth. "Did your father leave anything else behind? Perhaps a map?"

"Yes." Elizabeth pulled the item in question out from one of her pockets and held it up in the light. "We found it in his mansion and stole an East India Trading Company vessel to come here."

"You stole a ship? William and Elizabeth Turner actually stole a ship?!" An amused expression overcame Jack. "You two truly are pirates!"

"As my father once said, on the rare occasion when pursuing the right course of action demands an act of piracy, piracy itself can be the right course."

"I wholeheartedly agree, luv!"

But Smith was currently gazing uneasily out of the window. "You said you sailed on an East India Company vessel on your voyage over here?'

"Yes," said Will. "Why?"

"We may have some unwanted trouble. A ship of their design is coming into port. If we intend to carry out our mission of infiltrating The Clan, then we must leave now."

"Agreed," Jack said bluntly after having looked out the window himself.

But just then, the door to the small room burst inward, and many cloaked men holding pistols and swords poured in, each weapon trained on the four pirates.

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Aboard the East India Trading Company ship that was gradually coming into port at Tortuga, Mercer lowered the telescope in his hands after having gotten a satisfactory view of the ship that had been stolen by the Turners.

"Orders, sir?" asked a crewmate at Mercer's side.

"Make port," Mercer said dryly as he pushed in the telescope so that it was half as long as it was when Mercer was staring into it.

"I'm confused, Mr. Mercer. I thought Barnet wished to allow the Turners to carry on in their quest."

"He does, however Captain Barnet still wants his ship back. We're about to reclaim it."

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Jack, Will, Elizabeth and Smith all glanced around at the men clutching weapons, each of them attempting to find a way out of the situation. The candlelight emanating from the wax sticks resting upon the brackets hoisted on the walls and sitting upon the desks and drawers shoved against the same walls danced ominously off of the shining silver blades of each sword. Standing directly in front of the four pirates was McGivens, who had a sinister smile plastered across his face.

"I will be as direct as possible," he said in a venomous whisper. "Give me the map, and I may just allow you to live."

"Map?" said Jack. "What map?"

"I think you know what map."

"We didn't say 'map', we said...'hat'! Yes, that's right!" Jack motioned to the captain's hat on his head and then eyed McGivens curiously, appearing to be contemplating something. "Hang on, I've met you before."

McGivens chuckled. "Aye, you have. Only six years ago you and your crew shanghaied me into handing over the map to the Bermuda Triangle."

Jack, obviously recalling this incident, laughed nervously. "No I didn't."

"Yes, you did. Jacob McGivens, mercenary for hire." McGivens raised his pistol higher and pulled back the hammer, the clicking noise reverberating off the walls. "I won't say it again. Give me the map, Jack Sparrow."

Jack, determinedly holding his gaze with McGivens, stepped closer to the villain. "_Captain_! _Captain_ Jack Sparrow!"

Suddenly, Jack whipped out his sword and used it to knock the pistol out of McGivens' grasp in one fluid motion. In response, McGivens drew his sword as well and brought it up to meet Jack's. All Jack did was glance in an amused manner at the opposing blade before engaging the miscreant in battle.

The sound of clanging metal filled the air as Jack and McGivens swung their swords in different arcs, lunging at each other in turn. Meanwhile, the three others of Jack's party unsheathed their lethal weapons swiftly, beginning duels of their own.

The instant before Elizabeth locked blades with her first opponent, she was able to deliver a solid punch to the man's gut and hit him over the head with her hilt. As the first adversary sunk to the floor heavily, Elizabeth spun on her heel and deflected an oncoming sword aimed at her neck just in time. Holding the brute's sword away from her body by pressing down upon the steel with the force of her own silver weapon, she balled her free hand into a fist and punched McGivens' man in the right side of his face. The pirate was sent reeling backward and when he tried to charge down Elizabeth, she merely kicked him full-on in the gut; the man fell on his back, the wind knocked from him.

Will forcefully shoved his adversary's sword away and began to advance upon him. The servant of McGivens backed away cautiously, his eyes desperately darting around the room for some form of protection. He found it when his eyes fell upon a broken piece of a pole usually found on the bed in the far corner. He flung himself down on the floor, scooped up the pointed wooden pole, and brought it up just in time to block Will's word. Immediately, Will's sword became lodged in the wood, and before Will managed to pull it free, his opponent took the opportunity to kick him in the stomach. Will fell on his back, and allowed himself a brief moment in which to clutch his chest in pain before promptly lifting himself back up onto his feet and dive for his adversary's discarded sword and dodging a deadly swipe at the same time.

Will grabbed the hilt of the sword while rolling on his side. An instant later, he used it to block another attempt to cut into his flesh, shoving the rotten pirate away with the same motion. Once again, Will leapt to his feet and pursued the man with whom he was dueling. Their swords met in midair and both men rotated them in a full circle until both blades were free of each other. Will then charged forward, but he underestimated his opponent; the cruel pirate delivered another blow to Will's chest, which sent him flying backward once more, the sword escaping his grasp. As the brute began to bear down upon him, Will used his arms to assist him in backing away until he heard Elizabeth shout his name.

"Will!"

He looked in the direction of her voice to see Elizabeth toss him a pistol. Will grinned as he jumped up, grabbing the handheld weapon as it was still soaring in midair. The instant Will had a firm grip on the pistol's handle, he used his thumb to quickly pull back the hammer and steadily aim it at his opponent. The villain feebly raised his hands in surrender upon spotting the black gun. Will smiled slightly, aimed at the spot he wanted to hit, and pulled the trigger. The shot rang out and the bullet went into the pirate's hand, causing him to drop Will's sword in pain; all the while, Will had raced up toward him. However, the moment Will was close enough, the man of McGivens flexed his right arm outward, causing a small knife to shoot out from his sleeve and land in his palm. He then swung his hand toward Will, the blade heading straight for Will's heart. At that moment, Will caught his own sword, brought his elbow down upon the brute's arm joint hard, and used his other elbow to knock the man out with a forceful hit to the forehead. Will then rejoined the mayhem.

Jack and McGivens blocked each swipe of the sword directed at each of them, beads of sweat beginning to form on their brows. McGivens ducked as he saw Jack swing both his arm and sword at his neck, and as he did, Jack turned his sword inward. The result was Jack's fist making contact with one of McGivens' men, who was standing directly behind him. Jack's face became an expression of frustration and he kneed McGivens in the groin, causing the mercenary to double over in pain. Jack then turned to his comrades.

"Time to go, I think!" he called.

Will, Elizabeth and Smith all clearly agreed as they replaced their swords in the sheaths tied around their waists and darted toward the door. Jack waited for them to file out before following suit. But before he could fully step over the threshold of the doorway, he heard the fast shuffling of footsteps behind him and Jack turned to see one of McGivens' men racing toward him, a knife in his hand. Jack eyed the open door beside him, grabbed it, and swung it inward as he stepped outside of its path.

From the other side, Jack heard a loud thump, and he smiled in triumph before racing after his friends.

Back inside the room, McGivens and his men hauled themselves to his feet, their bodies aching all over. McGivens looked around the room and felt his temper rise.

"They're gone!" he shouted. "We must catch them in order to get the map! Follow me!"

Meanwhile, at the top of the stairs in the tavern, the four good pirates halted in an attempt to catch their breath. Will glanced over his shoulder, and spied their enemies running toward them.

"They're coming! We need to get to the Pearl!"

"Agreed!" said Jack.

The group drew their swords once more and darted toward the flight of stone stairs which led to the lower level of the pub, McGivens and his men right behind them.

The moment each of them had descended the first two steps, McGivens and his men caught up with them and re-engaged everyone in the duel. One of McGivens' cronies fired off a shot from his pistol, which ricocheted off the large iron chandelier hanging from the ceiling and smashed a rum bottle, the contents of which were being consumed by a nearby drunken man. The same man looked at the smashed shards of glass and, without thinking, punched the person beside him hard in the jaw.

Immediately, everyone in the tavern followed suit and joined in on all the fighting. This sudden eruption of violence made the duel between Jack's crew and McGivens' crew all the more difficult, as the pirates now had to weave in and out of the intoxicated fighting bums surrounding them.

Elizabeth grabbed hold of her current opponent's coat, dragged him over to the stone railing, and sent him cascading down into the madness below. When the next of McGivens' men came at her, Elizabeth placed her foot firmly on his chest and shoved him backward, crashing into a group of four whinos. Elizabeth then saw a flicker of movement out the corner of her eye and swiftly brought her fist up to meet the face that she knew was over her shoulder. Next, Elizabeth decided to hurry things along, and she sat herself down upon the wide and smooth stone railing, which caused her to slide down the length of it and deflect many sword swipes along the way.

Jack was weaving in and out of different people, both drunk and sober. He was not fighting anyone, just merely trying to make it out intact. But all of a sudden, one of McGivens' men came bolting toward Jack. Jack frantically glanced around for an escape route, but instead he found something different. He snatched up an abandoned and full rum bottle and swirled around, bringing it crashing down upon the brute's head the instant he was close enough. After that was accomplished, Jack eyed what remained of the bottle in his hand sadly.

"Bloody waste," he mumbled. Jack then tossed the top of the bottle over his shoulder, where it plummeted down to the lower level and made contact with the head of the pirate whom Elizabeth had thrown down there earlier.

Seeing Elizabeth down at the end of the stairs, Jack and Will, along with Smith, ran toward her as best they could as they constantly had to avoid stray fists and kicks. The moment they had reached Elizabeth, all four of them darted toward the wide open door.

When they were a foot away, one of their adversaries flung themselves at the pirate crew, but to no avail. Jack had spotted him, and as a result he had halted in his tracks. The brute went flying headlong into the numerous bottles of rum that were sitting on a nearby table. He went crashing to the floor, along with the table, and Jack gave an indifferent shrug the moment it had ended. With that, the four pirates stepped out of the pub.

Jack saw the rest of his crew waiting outside for him. Joshame Gibbs smirked.

"About time."

"Get back to the ship and prepare to make sail. Immediately."

"Aye, Cap'n!" Gibbs and the rest of the crew ran in the direction of the docks ahead of Jack and the others.

Jack turned to Will. "We need to create a big enough diversion that will allow us to get a head start in our little journey. Now, where is that East India Company ship you came here on?"

Will, catching on to what Jack was suggesting, grinned slightly. "Follow me." With that, he raced toward the docks with Elizabeth at his side.

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The Pearl crew arrived at the docks of Tortuga first, and met Bootstrap and the two kids as a result. Gibbs, winded, spoke to Bootstrap.

"Bootstrap! Are you here with Will and Elizabeth?"

"Aye, I am. Where are they?"

"They're behind us with Jack. Now, if you're plannin' on joinin' us, you need to come aboard with us."

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Minutes later, Jack, Will and Elizabeth arrived onboard the East India Company vessel; Smith had departed from them and went aboard the Pearl. Jack turned to Will. "Where are the powder magazines?"

"Below deck."

"How much gunpowder is there?"

"Enough."

"Good."

The trio dashed below deck and made their way into the area that contained all the kegs of gunpowder. Jack and Will grouped them all together in a large stack and when that was completed, Jack uncorked one of them, creating a trail of black gunpowder that led to the enormous grouping in the far corner. Jack looked up at Will and Elizabeth.

"I'd abandon ship if I were you. I'll be right behind you, go on."

Will and Elizabeth did not have any objection to this; they dashed up onto the deck, leaving Jack to pull out his pistol to ignite the trail.

Will and Elizabeth came up on the main deck and grabbed ropes with which to swing onto the Black Pearl, which was waiting directly beside them. They both jumped up onto the railing, but were halted by the sound of clicking pistol hammers. Will and Elizabeth turned their heads to see a line of darkly-clad men pointing their weapons at them. Suddenly, a cold voice rang in their ears.

"Don't shoot them, you fools! That's the new Governor and his wife!"

Will saw Mercer standing in front of the men, holding out his arms. Neither Will nor Elizabeth waited any longer; they swung onto the Pearl the moment they heard Jack's maniac screaming, which meant that he had just ignited the gunpowder.

Right after Will and Elizabeth had swung to safety, Jack grabbed the last remaining rope. Behind him, Mercer's men pointed their guns at him, now. Jack turned around on the railing, smirking.

"Gentlemen, you shall always remember this as the day that you almost caught Captain Jack Sparrow!"

With those final parting words, Jack swung to safety, calling over his shoulder. "I'd jump ship right about now!"

Mercer smelled the stench of gunpowder and ran over to the railing, diving into the ocean without hesitation; his men followed suit. A second later, the ship exploded violently in an eruption of red and orange flames; debris rained down in the ocean and onto Mercer's ship. In the water, Mercer and his second-in-command were bobbing their heads above the surface. Both of them were glaring at the departing Pearl.

"How soon can we return to Port Royal?"

"What?"

"McGivens will give chase. We have to return to Captain Barnet. How soon can we set sail?"

Just then, Mercer's first mate caught sight of their ship's sails, which had been set ablaze by the burning debris.

"As soon as we can get new sails." As Mercer sighed in frustration, his first mate stared admiringly at the retreating pirate ship.

"Do you think it's dumb luck, or just simply a sharp mind at work?"

Mercer glared at the first mate, and in turn, he swam away toward the shore.


	6. In Need Of A Plan

Chapter 6

An hour had passed since the Black Pearl had escaped from the combined forces of McGivens and Mercer. Already, Jack was walking about the deck, shouting out orders left and right to his crew to make their voyage move along more smoothly. Jack eyed Pintel and Ragetti, who were busy fussing over how to properly execute their duties. Rolling his eyes, Jack walked over to them and was able to better hear their latest argument.

"No, no, no," Ragetti was saying, "you have to tie it like this...two knots."

"Two knots?" Pintel said as he surveyed the tethered line his wooden-eyed friend had in his hands. "Why would you tie it with two knots? That ain't tight enough!"

"How would you know, anyways? Since when did you start payin' attention to how to properly tie tethered lines?'

"Since I've been helpin' out more around here! All you do is laze around all day and let the rest of the crew do all the work!"

"Well, I have a frail build," Ragetti argued indignantly, indicating his thin arms and legs. "Can't do anythin' stressful, otherwise I may injure meself seriously!"

"How many times have I heard that excuse before?" Pintel mumbled.

"Is that a rhetorical question or do you really want me to answer?"

Pintel rolled his eyes. "I think that wooden eye of yours is startin' to affect your brain."

Ragetti glared at Pintel and shoved him on the shoulder. "Take that back!"

Pintel shoved him in turn. "No! Not until you start workin'!"

The small shoves soon escalated into a shoving match between the two, which Jack watched with an expression on his face that mixed amusement with annoyance. Finally, after Jack could not take any more of it, he held up his hands and shouted.

"Oy! Oy! OY! Would you two stop act like pestering little maggots and carry on with your duties?"

Ragetti pointed a finger at Pintel. "He started it."

"Do I look like I care? Now, who's the captain of this ship?"

"You are," chorused Pintel and Ragetti as they both stared down at their feet miserably.

"That's right! Now, as Captain, I will not tolerate idiotic behavior as was just displayed, savvy?"

"But...," Ragetti started to say, but was cut off.

"If I want your opinion, Mr. Ragetti, I shall ask for it!"

"See, that's exactly what I'm talkin' about!" Ragetti exclaimed in a heavy voice. "Everyone onboard this ships always disregards my feelings without any thought to my emotional state!"

Upon hearing those words, Jack and Pintel exchanged confused looks with each other. "'Emotional state'?" Jack asked uncertainly.

"That's right! I have one you know!"

"Do you, now? Well, you don't exactly go flaunting it about now, do you?" said Jack.

"It's just...I don't like it when people make fun of me." Ragetti rubbed his wooden eye, which caused it to creak slightly under the pressure of his hand.

"There, there," Pintel soothed him by patting his shoulder in a friendly manner, "people only make fun of you behind your back."

"That makes me feel _loads_ better," Ragetti drawled sarcastically.

Jack rolled his eyes. "You know what I think might make you feel better? Hauling that tethered line, step to it!"

Aye, aye, Captain!" Pintel and Ragetti stupidly saluted Jack before going over to the rope. Both of them grabbed it and began to heave.

"Pull harder!" shouted Ragetti.

"I'm pullin' as hard as I can!" Pintel shouted back. "And who are you to complain about not properly doin' somethin' important?"

"That does it!"

Ragetti released his grip on the tethered line. This caused the rope to pull Pintel forward and slam him into the railing of the ship. As Ragetti started laughing, Pintel pulled himself to his feet, glaring at Ragetti viciously. The moment Ragetti saw Pintel's face, he abruptly ceased laughing, muttered a small "Sorry," and ran from his pudgy pirate ally as Pintel began to give chase. Jack watched the two and sighed deeply.

"It's not right to throw people overboard just out of frustration," he reminded himself under his breath.

Jack then headed toward his cabin. He swung the creaky wooden doors inward to find Will and Elizabeth, Bootstrap, and Smith crowded around his small desk. Jack walked past them all without acknowledging anybody and sat down his chair, propping both feet up on the desk.

"Care for anything?" he politely asked the people surrounding him. When they all shook their heads, Jack smirked and continued on. "Good. Now, you two," he motioned toward Will and Elizabeth, "I happened to notice that there was a second child in your company this time. Surely, you couldn't have become pregnant and given birth again in just one week's time, Lizzie?"

"What makes you so certain Jacquelyn is our own?"

"Am I to understand that you two kidnapped a young girl?"

"Don't be absurd, Jack!" said Elizabeth. "Why would we want to abduct a child in the first place? Will and I already have a son, whom we love dearly."

"But," Jack raised his forefinger, "you didn't have any reservations about stealing a ship belonging to the East India Company."

"Borrowed," Will spoke up, "nautical term. We _borrowed_ a ship."

Jack grinned. "Spoken like a true pirate, mate. So, if you didn't kidnap this young girl, what is she doing on my ship?"

"Jacquelyn is a close friend of Michael's," Elizabeth started to explain. "She happened to be with Michael at the time when we had to leave Port Royal, and we couldn't leave her there seeing as her mother has been imprisoned for no apparent reason."

"Why was her mother put in jail?" Jack inquired. "Does this have anything to do with the East India Trading Company?"

Will and Elizabeth exchanged uneasy expressions, and they both silently decided to fill Jack in on their situation. Will cleared his throat.

"As a matter of fact, it does. It seems that Elizabeth and I have made a new enemy in the East India Trading Company."

"Would I know who it is?"

"Have you ever heard of a Captain Jonathan Barnet?"

Jack's eyes darkened considerably after he heard the name. He swung his feet back onto the floor and stood up, crossing over to the window that looked out upon the sea.

"I've had the unfortunate pleasure of meeting the bloke in the past few years. Not directly, but in a manner of speaking." He paused, and during that moment of silence Jack turned around to face his fellow pirates. "Barnet's ship nearly decimated the Pearl when the East India Company was first sending out vessels of their own to police the seas, which they are still gradually doing. Anyway, Barnet's ship fired upon us and nearly sank my magnificent ship, but I was able to return the favor before it was too late."

"So you sank _his _ship?" Will asked.

"Aye. And I believe Barnet will not be too happy once he learns that I have once again done the same thing...basically. So, back to this girl, why is she here?'

"For her own protection," Elizabeth said quickly.

Her tone caused Jack to survey her with a suspicious eye. "Tell me, Lizzie, why do get the distinct impression that you're withholding certain information from me?"

"Maybe it's all those years of lying, cheating and stealing finally taking their toll on you," Elizabeth fired back.

Jack appeared to consider that for a moment, but shook his head. "Nah, that can't be it. Tell me, does this girl have anything to do with me?"

"That's not the more pressing matter," said Will, clearly avoiding the topic of discussion. "What we need to be discussing is how we'll be able to get into The Clan without trouble."

At that point, everyone in the room turned to Smith, who was standing in the corner. Noticing that the attention was now focused upon him, Smith stepped closer to the group. "Well," he began, "there is only one way anyone can get into the meeting."

"Which is?"

"Every member must present their coin which they were given when The Clan first formed. Now, in the case of the secret-keeper, since your father's coin was more likely stolen by his assassin, Mrs. Turner, I need to have my coin with me seeing as I'm technically a member."

"And do you?" Elizabeth asked.

"Unfortunately, no. My coin happened to be stolen by an old enemy of mine within The Clan itself in order to ensure that I would never return."

"And who is this enemy of yours?"

"A man named Quen Monterro. He's of Spanish descent and resides on an island not far from The Clan's headquarters. If we hope to go any further in our quest, then we must find Monterro and get the coin back."

"So, we're to understand that Monterro would never hand over the coin _willingly_?" said Jack.

"I'm afraid not. He'll have to be...persuaded."

Jack, Will, Elizabeth, and Bootstrap all exchanged dark looks with one another. Finally, Will voiced the question that was on everyone's mind.

"How far away is Monterro?"

Smith walked over to the desk, where the map now lay fully open upon its surface. "Judging from where we currently stand, it may take us three days to reach the vicinity in which both Monterro and The Clan Of Cortez are located."

Elizabeth nodded. "Then that's the best we can do."

"So that leaves us with three days in which to form a plan to delude Monterro and obtain Smith's coin." Jack turned to Smith. "Now, what can you tell us about this bloke?"

And with that, Smith launched into an explanation that contained all the necessary facts needed to come up with the proper plan.


	7. Meeting Monterro

A/N: I will update this story at least every two chapters since I have a lot of free time on my hands now and because I'm really itching to start the next installment.

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Chapter 7

McGivens approached Mercer, who was busy supervising the reconstruction of the masts of his now burnt ship. There was a violent intensity radiating from within his slit-like eyes that seemed to anyone watching the evil man like Mercer could stare straight through a solid human body and see what lay behind. McGivens, who already was not too keen on being scolded by one of his employers, inhaled a deep breath that he hoped would somewhat calm his nerves.

"Sparrow escaped...along with the Turners," he said dryly.

"That would be evident." Mercer indicated his ship by jabbing an unwavering finger toward his vessel. "I expected better from you, McGivens."

"I will admit that I underestimated Sparrow's talents. It seems that the man is more than just a common pirate. But I still know where to head in order to find The Clan...you can thank Captain Barnet's inside man for that." McGivens paused a moment. "What will you do now?"

"Once my ship is properly restored, I will he heading back to Port Royal to update Captain Barnet on the status of our mission. You, I trust, will pursue Sparrow and make sure that you arrive at The Clan before he does."

"I'm fully aware of what's at stake, Mr. Mercer. And you can be sure that I will fulfill my duties for you and Captain Barnet."

"Make sure you do." Those were Mercer's final words to McGivens, as he departed from the company of the mercenary without so much as a sidelong glance over his shoulder. McGivens stood rooted to the spot for a few more seconds, until he finally headed toward his very own awaiting ship.

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Three days had now passed since the plan to steal back Smith's Cortez coin had been set. Currently, the Black Pearl was silently gliding through the still waters of the area of the Caribbean shown on the map that the crew was navigating by. If it were not for the chilling and eerily translucent mist hanging over the sea, the Black Pearl would have blended in perfectly with the solid black sky.

On deck, Jack was peering through his telescope in an attempt to penetrate the fog surrounding his ship. Through the lense, Jack could only spot the outline of an island faintly lit by fires and torches which sat upon some type of fortress right in the center of the landmass. Just then, Jack sensed someone strut up beside him and glanced to his left momentarily to see that it was Smith. After that, Jack occupied himself with staring straight ahead at the island in question without the aid of the telescope this time.

"So, that's where Monterro resides, is it?" said Jack.

"Aye. The man is wealthy, but he's made that wealth by stealing it from those he can take advantage of."

"Sounds like a man after my own heart."

Smith gave Jack a grave expression. "Monterro is as cunning as he is ruthless. He's a man who is prepared to do whatever is necessary in order to get that which he is after. But like all men of power, he has a weakness. And that is what we have to use against him in order to get my coin back."

Jack tucked his telescope away and walked up the stairs to the ship's wheel. "Agreed. However, it seems that young William is not satisfied with the notion."

"Why would he be, considering what we're asking of Elizabeth?"

"You see, my friend, circumstances such as these can make a thing like marriage a nuisance. It's gettin' in the way of the plan!"

"Are you saying that you've never let emotions get in the way of anything, Jack?"

"Never could afford the trouble it caused." Jack sighed. "I wonder how the lovebirds are doing? It's almost time."

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Below deck, Will and Elizabeth were inside their cabin, which was lit by candles set upon desks and drawers. Elizabeth was busy completing the finishing touches of putting on the clothes she was to wear in order for this plan to work. These clothes were much like her usual piratical attire, but when Elizabeth went ashore in less than half an hour, they would nonetheless attract the attention of Monterro and his guards. Will was watching her with an uneasy expression.

"Elizabeth...are you sure you want to do this? Because if you don't, then I'll completely understand."

Elizabeth sighed as she finished putting on her right boot. She stood up and directly faced Will. "Going ashore and acquiring this coin is important in getting into The Clan unscathed and fulfilling my father's dying wishes."

"I know. But, I just think that there are other ways in which we can obtain the coin."

Elizabeth shook her head. "You're just uncomfortable with what I have to do."

"Yes," Will said in a more forceful tone of voice than he meant, "I am uncomfortable with these circumstances. I think it foolhardy to bank on a man's lust in order to get something from him."

"You're concerned that it may go too far."

Will nodded his head.

"You mustn't worry, Will." Elizabeth placed a tender hand on his cheek. "You are the only man I've ever loved and the only man that I will ever love for as long as I live. And besides, if things get out of hand, I'll have protection." She picked up a small knife from their bed and slipped it carefully up her shirt's right sleeve.

"We'll be right outside if anything should go wrong. And if it does, we'll come straight in and rescue you." Will took Elizabeth's hand and lightly kissed it, causing Elizabeth to smile in the way that she did every time Will showed his affection toward her.

Just then, there came a pounding on their closed door, followed by the gruff voice of Gibbs.

"It's time."

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Two longboats were making their way toward the shoreline of the island. The oars of each made contact with the calm ocean and made very little noise. In one longboat sat Jack, Will and Elizabeth; the other contained Smith and Gibbs. No one uttered a syllable, as all of them were totally aware of the magnitude of what Elizabeth was about to do.

Suddenly, Jack stopped his motions of rowing the oars and faced Elizabeth. "I'm afraid this is where you will have to depart from our presence, luv."

Elizabeth nodded, making sure that the belt holding her sword was strapped as tightly as possible around her waist. She then turned to Will, her face one of meaningful love. Elizabeth opened her mouth to say something, but Will raised a hand before she could form the first sound.

"Nothing bad is going to happen, Elizabeth. We will be right outside the fortress and then make our way inside...if anything should go wrong, we'll be there in an instant."

Elizabeth stared at her husband for a few silent moments before voicing the three simple words that were emanating from her heart. "I love you."

"I love you too," Will replied truthfully.

The two leaned in toward each other and shared a quick, but loving last-minute kiss. They were stopped by Jack clearing his throat, clearly uncomfortable with the couple's constant display of affection. Will and Elizabeth broke away from each other, both of them slightly blushing. Elizabeth handed Will her hat.

"Hold onto that for me." She then stood up in the longboat and stared ahead at her destination. Suddenly, Will grabbed her arm, which caused Elizabeth to look down at him.

"Be careful," was all he said to her.

Elizabeth smirked. "Keep a weather eye out."

Elizabeth rather reluctantly put her fingers around the ring on her left hand and carefully slipped it off, handing it to Will. "I can't have this on...it'll give me away. Take care of it."

"Of course," Will replied in a soft voice.

And with that, Elizabeth sucked in copious amounts of air before diving headfirst into the ocean. Will stared at the serene stillness of the water and noticed the top of her now wet head bobbing along the surface, gradually making its way toward the island. Will felt Jack place a firm hand upon his shoulder.

"Relax, mate. Elizabeth is a strong woman, she'll make it through alright. Plus, her body..."

"Say one more word, Jack, and I'll toss you out of this longboat without hesitation," Will intoned seriously.

"Noted." Jack went back to the oars.

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Elizabeth pulled herself out of the water and lay flat on the shoreline of the island, her forehead resting on her arm as she caught her breath. She stood up, brushing the wet strands of sandy-blonde hair away from her eyes so that she could get a better view of the darkened expanse of palm trees ahead of her. Elizabeth then examined herself, taking in the sand that was now stuck to her clothes as a result of her immersion in the sea. At first glance, Elizabeth considered whether she should try to brush herself off, but she figured that for the sake of the plan, she needed to look as convincing as possible in terms of the lie she was about to tell.

Elizabeth unsheathed her sword and began to walk into the dense forest that lay between her and Monterro's fortress, which Smith had informed the crew would be located on this island. The moment she stepped over the threshold of the forest, Elizabeth had to use her sword to swipe at the branches and such that hindered her smooth journey. It went on like this for a few minutes, until the trees and bushes abruptly stopped, giving way to a clear area that had a tall stone structure situated in the middle, torches on its walls providing light in the darkness.

This structure was obviously a fort, a fort that had to be protecting something or someone important. The door that allowed entry was a gate comprised of black iron bars. Guards dressed in black and carrying rifles that were slung over their shoulders, in addition to sleek silver swords strapped around their waists, marched back and forth in front of the entrance. The stone wall they guarded was evidently one of the outside walls of a small battle fort; a battle fort that Elizabeth deduced protected Monterro from any unwanted visitors...such as her.

Elizabeth quickly looked herself over, making sure that she appeared to be as disheveled as possible. She slid her sword back into its sheath and inhaled deeply, going over the story that Jack and Smith had created for her when they had first formulated this plan. Her story now straight, Elizabeth slowly walked toward the stone fort.

The moment Elizabeth had stepped into the light, the guards saw her and immediately trained their weapons on her. Elizabeth halted in her tracks, raising her hands into the air as an obvious sign of surrender. Suddenly, a cold and curt voice cut through the night air.

"Stop. Throw your sword to me."

Elizabeth did as she was commanded, unstrapping the belt containing the weapon and tossing it at the feet of the guard who had his rifle steadily aimed at her. Still keeping the gun pointing at Elizabeth, the guard bent down and picked up Elizabeth's belt and hung it on his shoulder. He then approached Elizabeth, eyeing her suspiciously.

"Who are you? And how did you come to be on this island at this late an hour?" The guard's voice was without a doubt accusatory.

Elizabeth appeared to look as frightened as she could when she answered the question. "Please, sir, I was kidnapped by pirates and I managed to escape when they were all asleep. I stole that sword as protection. I came here in hopes of finding shelter and food. Please." Her tone of voice conveyed a sense of worry and fear that the guard seemed to find believable.

He lowered his weapon slightly, taking in Elizabeth with his eyes. He examined her wet and sandy clothes, her moist hair that hung down limply around her face, and the mask of trepidation. Finally, he sighed and gestured for Elizabeth to step forward.

She did so, coming to a halt in front of the iron gateway. Elizabeth watched the guard walk over to the side, reaching into a depression in the stone wall. There must have been some form of lever there, Elizabeth guessed, because next moment the gate was rising upward into the archway, providing a clear path into the area that lay beyond.

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From the thick bushes of the forest, the rest of the crew who had traveled ashore were staring at Elizabeth's progress. Once she had made it over the threshold of the gate, Jack and Gibbs whipped out their swords.

"She's in," said Jack. "Now, we just have to deal with the rest of these blokes." Jack carefully studied the remaining guards, his mind already forming a plan.

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What was beyond the archway made Elizabeth's eyes widen slightly. The inside of the fort contained the usual expansive workings of those seen in normal battle forts: soldiers going about their duties by checking the conditions of different weapons, including what appeared to be a collection of fully working cannons. Other soldiers marched back and forth on platforms high up near the top of the surrounding walls. It was clear to Elizabeth at this point that Monterro's wealth was so great, that he could afford his own personal private army.

"Follow me," the guard said, causing Elizabeth's attention to refocus on the task at hand. She snapped her head back straight, though she was still fully aware of the curious sets of eyes observing this unexpected yet somewhat pleasant arrival on their island.

The guard led Elizabeth to a set of double wooden doors on the other side of the fort and knocked on one of them. Suddenly, a small rectangular slit in the door was pushed aside, the guard muttered something that Elizabeth could not quite make out, and the slit closed. After that, both of the doors swung inward, and Elizabeth and the guard made their way through the opening.

Elizabeth now found herself standing inside a narrow passageway that stretched on in either direction; in front of her was another doorway. Leaning against the wall on the new door's right side was another soldier, but this one was a woman. She had on a different, more tightly fitting uniform than the rest and she also clutched a rifle. The instant this new guard saw the fresh arrivals, she stepped forward and smiled in as polite a manner as she could. She approached the other guard, who obviously whispered Elizabeth's story in her ear.

"I'll take it from here," she told the man.

Elizabeth's former guide nodded and turned around to walk back to his post. The woman guard put her hand on Elizabeth's shoulder and guided her through the next door. This time, Elizabeth found herself staring at the entryway to a lavish, yet small establishment that had candlelight radiating from within. It was not exactly a house, but it was not exactly a mansion either.

The house, if you could call it that, was intricately designed; the shape was a cross between a dome and a rectangle. Indeed, a corpulent and round dome rose upward in the center of the structure. Lanterns were hung at different intervals and angles, each emanating a bright light that made the whole building seem as if it were made of gold. To Elizabeth, it certainly seemed like Monterro thought very highly of himself to have such strength in numbers and a clearly elegant lifestyle that allowed him to enjoy the pleasures that an influential potentate experiences. But before Elizabeth could contemplate the sight any more, the woman guard stuck out her rifle, causing Elizabeth to walk right into it.

"I must search you for any other weapons that you may carry with you," the guard told Elizabeth bluntly.

Elizabeth looked at her, slightly surprised. "Why would you think I had any other weapons? That one sword was all I had. I managed to escape the ship I was on with just that one sword." She put the arm that contained the hidden dagger down at her side and pressed it against her leg.

"Why should I believe you?"

"Because it's the truth."

"Yes, but people have a tendency to twist the truth so that it can work to their own personal advantage."

"And what could a kidnapped woman like myself possibly hope to gain from seeking help from the inhabitants of this island?" Elizabeth fired back.

But before the guard could answer, a deep and commanding voice filled the air. "What is going on out here?"

Elizabeth whirled around to see a sharply dressed man in a purple coat, black suit and gloves standing in the open doorway of the house. Elizabeth knew at once that this had to be Monterro; Monterro had a graying beard on his chin, a sense of authority in his eyes, and a serious face. Monterro descended the small flight of steps before the entrance and walked over to the guard. The two of them conversed in whispered tones that were not audible to Elizabeth.

Suddenly, Monterro straightened himself up to his full height and stared intently at Elizabeth. He then held out his hand and motioned for her to step forward. "Come," he said curtly.

Elizabeth, hardly believing that they were buying the plan so easily, hastily walked in the house without a backward glance at the guard. The moment Elizabeth had stepped foot inside the residence, she found herself standing in a large living room. A fire roared inside a huge fireplace at the far end of the room, adding to the light coming from the many flickering candles located around the room. An elaborate hearth rug lay on the polished wooden floor, an obvious sign that the owner of this house thought very highly of themselves because of their immense wealth. Impressive pieces of furniture also added to this feeling.

Elizabeth crossed the room to stand in front of the blazing fire; she lifted her hands up in an attempt to get warm faster. She was just becoming quite comfortable when Monterro's voice rang out again.

"I'm deeply sorry to hear about your situation. Is there anything I can get you Miss...?"

"Turner," said Elizabeth. "Elizabeth Turner. And it's 'Mrs.', not 'Miss'."

"My apologies," replied Monterro. "If there is anything I can get you, please let me know."

Elizabeth bit her lip. The original plan that Jack and Smith had come up with was to let Elizabeth seduce Monterro into revealing where Smith's Cortez coin was kept, but Elizabeth could not bring herself to do it at this point. She could not pretend to be attracted to another, older man simply because it would get the crew further along in their quest; she loved Will and possessed an amount of devotion to him that could not be fooled around with. Elizabeth then made a quick decision and rolled up her right sleeve, conspiratorially slid the small dagger into her palm.

She whipped around, her hand that clutched the dagger outstretched unwaveringly. "Actually," Elizabeth said, "it would be most contributive if you were to hand over the Cortez coin I happen you stole not too long ago."

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Outside the fort, the guards on patrol stopped dead in their tracks, a rustling of leaves from the forest attracting their attention. Each of the stoic men trained their rifles on the area where the noise sounded like it was coming from, their beady eyes glaring in a penetrating manner.

Suddenly, from out of the darkness, many round shapes came hurtling toward every single guard. These objects collided hard with their faces, knocking them out cold upon contact. Each body crumpled to the ground in a heap, allowing anyone who was to come by the fort at that moment the golden opportunity to sneak inside. And it did not take long for four people to emerge from the bushes to take that opportunity, swords clutched in each of their right hands.

Jack, Will, Gibbs, and Smith all approached the unconscious guards slowly and picked up their rifles the moment they were within reach. As each of the slung the heavy weapons over their shoulders, Jack grinned.

"I love coconuts." He indicated the round objects that had knocked the guards unconscious a minute beforehand.

"Let's just get inside and help Elizabeth," said Will.

"Alright," Jack nodded, "but there's still the matter of the other guards posted within the fort itself. We need to come up with a way to get past _them_ next."


	8. A Slippery Situation

Chapter 8

Meanwhile, inside Monterro's residence, Elizabeth still had her dagger gripped firmly in her steady hand; her arm was unwavering as it kept the small weapon aimed at Monterro. Monterro was eyeing Elizabeth with an expression that suggested he was rather amused with the current situation. Elizabeth, however, had her eyes narrowed in a scowl that reflected her sense of determination to make Monterro divulge the information she was after. The only sound came from the crackling fire, its flames dancing wildly on top of the burned pieces of corpulent wood that caused the usual burning smell to gradually waft through the confines of the spacious yet small living room of Monterro's elaborate little home. The fire also seemed to provide an appropriate lighting for the dark predicament, one in which violence was bound to erupt.

Monterro's eyes traveled from Elizabeth's determined face to the dagger in her outstretched hand, and he managed to put on a fake smile. "I'm afraid I am unfamiliar with what you speak of."

"Don't play coy with me. I happen to know for a fact that you are affiliated with a secret society known as The Clan Of Cortez. I've come here to collect a certain object in your possession...an object that you stole from one of your fellow members."

Monterro smiled again, but this time, it was genuine. "So Smith has sent a woman onto my secluded little island, banking on both my weakness of offering hospitality and feelings of lust. I must admit, you put on a rather good show." Monterro moved over to a table, where an assortment of full brandy bottles sat. At the same time, Elizabeth stepped forward, tightening her grip on the dagger.

"Don't!"

"Calm down, there's no reason to fret. I'm merely pouring myself a drink."

Monterro did so, but at the same time, he surreptitiously slipped his gloved left hand behind the table, where a small loaded pistol was strapped to the wood. As he went about pouring his desired amount of brandy into the nearest glass, Monterro pulled the silver pistol free of its bonds and placed it in a hidden pocket in his coat, pulling back the hammer as quietly as possible at the same time. Once this had been completed and his drink of brandy was prepared, Monterro turned around to face Elizabeth, who was still holding the dagger as if her palm was stuck to it.

"What is your name, again?" Monterro asked rather calmly.

"Elizabeth Turner," Elizabeth shot back. "Formerly 'Swann'; I believe you knew my father."

The name "Swann" immediately registered with Monterro, and he now looked at Elizabeth in amusement. "Ah, so you are the daughter of our late secret-keeper; what an honor it is." Monterro then eyed the dagger indifferently. "There is really no need for weapons of any sort seeing as how I have no intention of harming you."

Elizabeth studied Monterro curiously for any indication that he was lying. "I'm afraid I can't do that because I simply can't trust you."

"A reasonable standpoint," Monterro agreed. "After all, when trying to infiltrate a society such as The Clan Of Cortez, there's no one you _can _trust."

"Especially when you factor into your calculations the fact that there may be a traitor in your midst."

"Tell me, Mrs. Turner, how do you arrive at that conclusion?"

As Monterro gulped down his brandy, Elizabeth came closer to the wealthy potentate, her eyes blazing. "I believe that the man who assassinated my father was under the employ of someone else. Someone who wished to gain access to The Clan so that he could expertly place his own inside man who would report back to him about any activities or decisions relating to what The Clan protects."

"Perhaps you would care to enlighten me on both the reasoning behind your little theory and the extent to which your knowledge of The Clan stretches."

"Over the past few days I've had to reflect upon this 'little theory' as you so bluntly put it, the more logical it seems. The man I speak of is Captain Jonathan Barnet of the East India Trading Company, a man my husband and I recently discovered would be willing to do anything to put us behind prison bars for the rest of our lives. I think my father's murder was the starting point of a chain of events that Barnet hopes will inevitably lead to my husband and I either being locked away in a prison cell or worse, dead."

"And how would association with The Clan Of Cortez present him with that opportunity, exactly?"

"Admit it, the ways in which The Clan Of Cortez operates are not exactly considered proper in the eyes of the King of England. Smith, the member whose Cortez coin you stole, has told me about The Clan's history during our journey here. Am I right in insinuating that members of The Clan Of Cortez would still be considered traitors to England and thus be sentenced to execution upon being captured?"

"Yes," Monterro admitted.

"Then affiliation with The Clan would be an action sufficient enough to land us behind bars, then."

"And yet here you are, allowing Barnet just that opportunity."

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes even more. "What I'm doing right now is fulfilling my father's dying wish to ensure that what The Clan protects is kept safe from those attempting to steal it. The crew I'm sailing with, myself included, are aware of the fact that in order to get into The Clan's meeting place, you must present the coin that was given out as a sign of membership."

"And you've come here to acquire the coin that rightfully belongs to the member who happens to be onboard your ship." It was a statement, not a question.

"Admittedly obvious," said Elizabeth.

Suddenly, Monterro whipped out the pistol concealed within his clothes and aimed it directly at Elizabeth's forehead, smiling triumphantly. "Though potentially problematic."

Elizabeth did not say anything, only lowered her dagger.

Monterro chuckled. "Smart move, Mrs. Turner. Resistance at this point would be a wasted effort. Now, I'm afraid I can't allow you to leave here with those thoughts running through your mind."

"Why? Because they're correct?"

"Quite. I'm surprised that you never considered the idea of the traitor you speak of standing right before you."

"You're in league with Barnet."

"You catch on rather quickly, Mrs. Turner. Such a pity that I have to kill you in order to keep you quiet."

Elizabeth smirked defiantly. "Are you certain that is what Barnet would want you to do? Because I'm sailing with Captain Jack Sparrow, who possesses the fastest ship in the Caribbean...something of value in reaching the treasure and the ships that The Clan protects. If you kill me, then the Black Pearl will surely decimate your ship, thus leaving you dead and with no hope of succeeding."

"Do you honestly think that Barnet wouldn't have another member within The Clan to turn to if I were to fail?"

"You mean...?"

"Yes, in order to make his plan work, Barnet first came to me because he knew that I possessed a certain amount of influence within The Clan. The rewards he offered me for my loyalty were too great to turn down. So, I provided Barnet with the help of a Clan member who I knew had questionable bonds of trust with The Clan that could be easily severed."

"And what did Barnet offer this other traitor in return for his services?"

"The promise of settling an old grudge. One that incidentally involves you and your husband."

"What? Explain what you mean!"

"I don't think I have to explain anything more to you, Mrs. Turner. You've heard enough." Monterro then pressed the barrel of his pistol against Elizabeth's forehead, exerting as much pressure as he could. The action caused Elizabeth to stagger backwards slightly. Monterro held out his free hand, motioning to Elizabeth's dagger. "If you please," he prompted.

Elizabeth glared defiantly into Monterro's eyes before begrudgingly handing over her weapon.

"Gracias," Monterro thanked her in his native tongue. "Don't worry, Mrs. Turner. Death is only the beginning, or as my ancestors would say, 'La muerte es sólo el principio'.

Just then, the main door of the house burst inward, allowing four cloaked figures to file in, all holding rifles that were soon pointing in Monterro's direction. The traitor quickly assessed the situation and grabbed Elizabeth's arm, pulling her closer to him and placing the pistol at the side of her head this time; his arm was wrapped around her throat.

"Stay back!" he shouted. "Or I kill her!"

None of the rifle-toting, hooded men made a move; they simply held their weapons steady, their faces obscured by the hoods covering that were covering them. Elizabeth, the pressure of Monterro's pistol still pressing down on her skull, glanced over at the nearest figure, and Elizabeth saw him giver her a conspiratorial nod. Elizabeth grinned to herself.

"Let me go, Monterro."

"Silence!" Monterro spat. "You are in no position to be dictating terms or orders!"

"That's where you're very much mistaken, mate," came a calm voice from behind one of the hoods. The person in question lowered their hood, and the confident face of Captain Jack Sparrow came into view.

Monterro scowled. "Captain Jack Sparrow!"

Jack smiled. "I know. My stunning entrance has left you speechless."

"No. You mistake my lack of verboseness for the need to not waste my time with unnecessary banter; I wish to get right to the point." Monterro aimed his pistol at Jack, but he realized immediately just how foolish of an action that was.

Elizabeth took the opportunity to elbow Monterro in the gut, hit in on the arm joint, and flip him onto his back. Monterro hit the ground hard, all the wind obviously knocked from his lungs judging by the force of impact. Elizabeth wrenched the pistol from Monterro's grasp and pointed it directly between his eyes.

"You helped Barnet infiltrate The Clan, so you bear responsibility for my father's death as much as he does." Elizabeth held the gun steady, her face contorted in emotional pain.

"You can't kill me," Monterro sneered up at her.

"Can't I?" Elizabeth asked, slightly hysterically. "All I have to do is pull this trigger and your life will reach its end."

"That's not what I mean," said Monterro rather weakly. "If you kill me, then you'll have no way of discovering where the Cortez coins are hidden."

"I don't give a damn about the coins!" Elizabeth snapped, "I swore to enact revenge for my father, and I'm going to do it!"

At that moment, another one of the hooded figures lowered their hood, and Will's caring face came into view. Keeping his rifle trained on Monterro, Will cautiously stepped toward Elizabeth and placed a firm, yet gentle hand on her forearm. Will slowly pushed it down so that the pistol was no longer aiming at Monterro's face.

"Elizabeth, darling, he's right. We need the information he has to offer." Will said these words in that soothing tone he reserved for his wife.

"He's helping Barnet! He can't be trusted! He's as much to blame for my father's murder as the killer himself!"

Will instantly pulled Elizabeth into a one-armed hug, making sure that his rifle was still pointing at its target. With his free hand, Will gently stroked Elizabeth's hair as she buried her face in his shoulder.

"Killing Monterro won't help," he whispered softly in her ear. "We're both grieving for your father at the moment, but he would expect you to place priority before emotion. And right now, our priority is to discover the location of the coins so that we can use them to gain entry into The Clan. That's what your father wanted you to do." Will reached into one of his pockets and pulled out Elizabeth's wedding ring. He then took her left hand and carefully slipped it on her finger. Elizabeth lifted her head from Will's shoulder, and the couple shared a short, yet meaningful kiss. Elizabeth turned back around to gaze back down at Monterro, who was still lying on the floor. "Now," Will began, "you mentioned that your Cortez coins were hidden. Show us where."

Monterro gazed defiantly up at all of the men who had rifles aimed at him, and reluctantly lifted himself up off the floor, brushing himself off. "On the mantelpiece above the fireplace," he said, "there is an old clock. The coins are concealed behind the face of it. But I'll need to retrieve them, because I'm the only one who knows how to open the clock properly."

Will studied Monterro's face for any sign that would give him away, but finding none, he nodded and motioned toward the fireplace with his rifle. "Do it. But don't attempt anything clever."

"I'm hardly in the position to risk such a thing, am I?" Monterro smirked darkly before making his way over to the mantelpiece that was suspended above the fireplace. Situated in the center of it was an old, small clock that was ticking away. Monterro shifted himself in front of it so that nobody else could see what he was doing, and within the course of a few seconds, Monterro stepped back and revealed that he had successfully managed to open the face of the clock. He reached inside, and when his hand had retracted from it, two gold coins were dangling from chains that were held tightly in Monterro's grasp.

"I believe these are what you're after, are they not?"

Will, giving no indication that these coins were indeed what they were after, stepped forward without a word and held out his hand. Monterro smirked at Will before finally dropping the two golden circles into Will's hand. Will closed his hand around them tightly and stuffed them into a pocket under his cloak. He then turned to face his comrades.

"We need to leave," Will said.

"You can't possibly expect to escape from here undetected," Monterro scoffed in a mocking tone.

"We managed to slip past your security with very little trouble," Jack taunted, "so I doubt we'll run into any problems as we leave."

"I wouldn't be too confident." Suddenly, Monterro shoved past Will and Jack and made his way over toward the open front door. He paused with his body halfway inside and halfway outside, using his free left hand to pull on a string attached to the outer wall of the home. The bell clanged loudly enough so that the sound could carry all the way down to the fort, where armed soldiers would obviously scramble hastily toward Monterro's home so that they could fulfill their duty of protecting their employer.

Jack leapt toward Monterro swiftly and landed a firm punch right in between his eyes. Monterro reeled backwards and slumped down against a railing. Jack then unsheathed his sword and squinted out into the darkness; he could make out the fast-approaching figures of Monterro's guards. Jack turned to face everyone else.

"We may have a slippery situation on our hands," he informed them.

"Then we should make for the Pearl with all haste," Will concluded as he drew his own sword, followed by the others.

The group of five pirates cautiously made their way out into the night, prepared for any type of attack.

That attack began when the first group of Monterro's guards came charging forward, rifles out. Jack and Will raised their own rifles sideways so that when the guards attempted to hit them over the head with their own, each pair of rifles collided hard against each other. Jack and Will both shoved their opponents away and used the butts of their rifles to knock them unconscious. After that, the duo began to use their swords, as they both dueled guards who dared challenge them. During these small duels, Will managed to slash many of his adversaries' arms and other parts of the body, but only had to go in for the killing stroke sparingly.

The small duels with Monterro's guards soon took the Pearl pirates through the door that led into the main fort, where more guards congregated upon everyone. Jack swiped his sword in wide arcs, which allowed him to deflect each and every one of the blades that came in his direction. With his newest opponent, Jack was able to flip the cloak he was wearing over his head and bring it down over the guard in front of him, which blinded the guard. Jack then grabbed the guard's flailing figure and sent him barreling into three nearby comrades of his. As Jack began to retreat with his still-dueling friends toward the exit, a peculiar noise reached his ears that caused Jack to turn in order to discover its source.

Jack immediately found what he was looking for, and his face fell. Two guards were positioned behind a cannon that was aimed at Jack, and even worse, its fuse had been lit. Jack let out a scream of fear and dived headfirst to the ground the instant the cannon fired. From the sound of things, it seemed as if the cannonball had crashed into the far wall of the fort. But Jack did not waste time to check his theory as he hauled himself to his feet and continued to dart toward the exit.

As he was running, Jack saw Elizabeth struggling with a guard who was relentless in his many attacks to try to cut her. He raced over, sword at the ready, and swiped at the guard's unprotected back; Jack could tell his blade had made contact with the flesh. As the guard began to fall backwards, Jack flipped his sword in midair and plunged the tip deep into the guard's chest and retracted it within seconds. Elizabeth fell in place alongside Jack, followed by Will a few seconds later, in the dash toward the exit. Jack allowed himself a glance over his shoulder and saw that Gibbs and Smith were close behind.

The moment everyone had ran through the open entryway, Jack slipped to the side and stuck out his foot. Seconds later, the remaining guards who were still giving chase had their feet collide with Jack's, which sent them flying and they landed hard and rather uncomfortably upon the grassy ground outside the fort. Smiling as he slid his sword back into its sheath, Jack turned to face his fellow pirates.

"Excellent work, Elizabeth!" he commended her. "You successfully managed to use your advantage of being a woman to help us get further along in our little escapade!"

Elizabeth, who was standing close beside Will, narrowed her eyes in the annoyed expression she reserved only for Jack. "As it so happens, I deviated from the plan. I just couldn't bring myself to betray Will like that...even if what I did wouldn't have been genuine." Elizabeth gazed deep into Will's chocolate brown eyes.

At the same time, Jack felt his face fall for the second time that night. "You didn't use my plan? I must say, luv, I am affronted at your ignorance!"

"Do me a favor, Jack, and stop talking." Will and Elizabeth then shared a deep, passionate kiss. Jack, however, rolled his eyes.

"Love. So overrated!" He walked over to Smith. "We have your coin back. So that means we can attend the convening of The Clan as planned."

"We also happen to posses Monterro's coin," Smith smirked.

"Yeah, so?"

"So, that means he can't attend the meeting."

"Good," said Elizabeth once she and Will had finished kissing, "we can take the opportunity to warn The Clan about his secret dealings with Barnet. We should also do our best to find Monterro's accomplice."

"How do you know Monterro has an accomplice?" asked Jack.

"He told me so himself before all of you barged in."

"But if Monterro has an accomplice," Will spoke up, "then that means we can't have any proper way of knowing just how deep this corruption runs. After all, there could be others devoted to the same cause as Monterro and Barnet."

"Point well taken, William," Jack agreed, "but I feel we must bring up the notion once we get inside the meeting place. Now, Smith, where exactly does The Clan convene?"

"On an island not far from here," Smith answered. "The meeting is to take place tomorrow night. It said so in the letter I received."

"Right, then. We now have a day to get there."

"What about Monterro?" queried Elizabeth.

"He can do nothing without his coin," Smith assured her. "There's no reason to worry about him now."

"But if he's aware of the location of the treasure and the Spanish Armada ships, then won't he attempt to go after them?" Will asked.

"Monterro will most likely be of no further use to Barnet since he allowed us to steal his coin. You can bet that Barnet's assassin will take care of him." Elizabeth delivered these words in a steely tone.

A brief moment of silence followed Elizabeth's words, which was broken by Jack. "Right, well...we should get back to the Pearl. Can't be late for the reconvening of The Clan Of Cortez."

With that, the contingent of five pirates set off back toward the shore, where they would re-board the Black Pearl and set off for the island where The Clan Of Cortez would soon meet.


	9. The Clan Of Cortez

A/N: Please leave me some more reviews. Not that I'm complaining, but only 9 reviews thus far is not that much.

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Chapter 9

Monterro awoke uneasily. As he opened his eyes, he immediately became aware of a painful throbbing in his head, almost as if he had been struck hard in the face by something. But as Monterro slowly pulled himself to his feet, he suddenly realized that it was now daytime. Monterro rubbed his eyes, blinking continuously under the overpowering glare of the bright sun. The sight that met Monterro caused his mouth to slightly hang agape.

Crumpled forms of his personal guards who were either dead or unconscious lay strewn about all along the ground as others who were conscious and active went about their duties of cleaning up this mess. In the distance, Monterro could see a line of gray smoke rising into the air, clearly an indication of the aftermath of a fight which involved cannon fire. Heaving a deep sigh, Monterro turned around and entered his home, where he was met with another surprising sight.

Sitting comfortably in one of the living room's plush armchairs was a man attired in black, almost piratical clothing. In his hand, this man clutched a glass of brandy that Monterro recognized as his own. The man sported a scraggly beard that accompanied small, evil eyes that gave him the appearance of a hardened criminal, which Monterro assumed he was. Monterro also noticed that this man sported an assortment of weapons stuffed into his belt. Monterro glanced around worriedly for guards of his, but found none in the desired vicinity. The man looked up from his drink and smiled in a manner most uncomfortable for Monterro.

"About time you woke up," the man spoke in an American accent, "I've been waitin' for you to wake for nearly three hours."

"Who are you?" Monterro asked sharply, not wasting time with any pleasantries. "And how did you get past my security?"

The man chuckled as if he were amused. "You mean those idiots with guns and swords you call soldiers? I believe the correct term would be 'lax' in describing those people. My name is Jacob McGivens," he added, standing up from his seat.

"So, Mr. McGivens, perhaps you could enlighten me as to why exactly you have broken into my house?"

McGivens smiled before downing the contents of his glass and tossing the fragile item carelessly into the fireplace, where the previous night's fire had long since been extinguished. "I think you're familiar with a Captain Jonathan Barnet, correct?"

Monterro's face suddenly became pale upon hearing those words. He cleared his throat in an attempt to calm his nerves. "Yes. What's it to you?"

"Well, as it turns out Mr. Monterro, we are both workin' for the same man. And I'm here on business for Barnet."

"Does this concern the events of last night? If it does, then how could Barnet possibly be aware of it?"

McGivens smirked. "You of all people should know that Captain Barnet is extremely well-connected. Of course he knows about what occurred last night, and he's not at all pleased with the outcome. As it so happens, my ship was on the way over here and I received a message from Barnet informing me about how to proceed."

Monterro, understanding full and clear what McGivens was saying, pulled a handkerchief out of his breast pocket and dabbed at his sweating brow. He then crossed over to where the brandy sat beside one of the living room's windows and poured himself a stiff drink. Monterro gulped down the liquid and wiped his lips nervously. Discreetly, Monterro felt around for his small pistol under the table, but suddenly realized with a sinking heart that the pistol was no longer there.

"Lookin' for this?" came McGivens' voice from behind Monterro, who turned around to see McGivens holding the very pistol Monterro was searching for. McGivens regarded the weapon with an air of disappointment. "Really, Monterro, it is futile to think that you can stop me." McGivens tossed the pistol away so that it crashed through a window and landed outside.

As McGivens slowly began to approach Monterro, Monterro turned back around and desperately began to search for any type of an alternative weapon. He then heard the sound of something metallic being pulled from a sheath, but before Monterro could investigate the source, he felt a sharp tip plunge deep inside his back. The pain was unbearable and Monterro opened his mouth to scream, however no sound came out. Next came McGivens' sneering voice inside Monterro's ear.

"It seems you've outlived your usefulness to Captain Barnet. He sends his regards, though."

McGivens pulled his knife out of Monterro's back swiftly, leaving a fresh bloodstain where the weapon was only seconds before. The lifeless form of Quen Monterro fell to the floor as McGivens wiped the fresh blood off his knife indifferently, using Monterro's handkerchief. Once that was done, McGivens slid the snake-themed knife back into its miniature sheath and calmly strutted over to where a candle was still burning on a small table. McGivens picked up the candle and let the flame touch one of the living room's many curtains, which allowed a massive fire to start spreading up its length.

McGivens took one last look at Monterro's lifeless form before walking out the back door of the house as the fire he started quickly began to spread around the room. McGivens found his men waiting for him out back.

"What are you doing?" one of them asked.

McGivens shrugged. "Barnet wanted no loose ends, so that is what I'm doing. Monterro has done his part, now it's up to us to complete the task." He turned back around to observe the house, which had now become completely engulfed by the flames. "We should get moving," said McGivens. "Before anyone notices us. Also, the meeting takes place tonight and we can't afford to miss it."

McGivens led his men back to their ship, which was currently moored on the other side of the island.

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In their private quarters, Will and Elizabeth were catching up on their sleep after the previous night. The Black Pearl was nearing its destination very quickly, as the rest of the crew were going about their duties diligently, not wanting to be badgered further by their rather eccentric captain.

Up on deck, Michael and Jacquelyn were passing the time by watching the crew of the pirate ship in amusement as they went to and fro, either attempting to improve on the ship's sailing condition or cleaning the vessel itself. Both of the children were sitting atop discarded empty barrels, a grin of pleasure spread across each of their faces. Michael and Jacquelyn both possessed an intense fascination with piracy, which had been heightened considerably after both of them had learned about their connection to the subject through their very own parents. Being aboard the well-known pirate ship The Black Pearl while its crew was in the midst of yet another harrowing adventure was a dream of theirs that Michael and Jacquelyn were delighted to see come true.

From afar, Jack was curiously observing Jacquelyn, his eyes narrowed in a mixture of contemplation and suspicion. He nudged Bootstrap, who was next to him and in the process of helping haul heavy objects onto the main deck.

"Bootstrap, mate, exactly why is that little girl aboard my ship if she is not one of William and Elizabeth's children?"

Bootstrap turned around to see what had attracted Jack's attention and smiled. "I'm afraid that I'm not the right person to answer that question for you, Jack."

"Then who would be the proper person, pray tell?" asked Jack.

Bootstrap shrugged. "I'm sure William and Elizabeth will tell you in due time."

Jack now looked at Bootstrap in a suspicious manner. "From your choice of words, Bootstrap, I'm able to deduce that this young...child, for lack of a better pirate term, has something to do with me."

"My lips are shut tight on this one, Jack," answered Bootstrap.

"Then you wouldn't mind at all if I were to inquire further into this matter by asking the girl a few questions, eh?"

"Be my guest," said Bootstrap, as he gestured toward Jacquelyn with an outstretched arm. He then went back to his work.

Jack took his opportunity and strode over to where Michael and Jacquelyn were sitting. The instant she noticed him, Jacquelyn's face lit up, an action that caused Jack to become even more curious about her. When he was close enough, Jack squatted down so that Jacquelyn and him shared eye contact.

"Greetings, miniature girl. May I ask your name?"

"My name is Jacquelyn, Captain. Jacquelyn Thomas."

Jack smirked, showing off a few of his golden teeth. "I see you have the sense to call me 'Captain', very good." He paused, clearly thinking about something. "Thomas, you say? Why does that name sound familiar?"

Jacquelyn, eager to elaborate on this, jumped to her feet hastily. "You might have known my mum, Captain."

"I don't seem to recall anyone with your last name. By the way, where is dear old mum?"

"I don't know," Jacquelyn answered truthfully. "Michael's parents just brought me along for some reason."

"Did they, now?" Jack glanced up at Michael, who was still sitting on his barrel. "Mikey, where would your parents happen to be at the moment?"

"Below deck. They're sleeping right now, Jack."

"Not to be rude or anything," Jack said, "but would you mind calling me 'Captain Jack'? It seems to have a much nicer ring to it, wouldn't you say so?"

"Does the 'Captain' part really matter that much to you?"

Jack huffed at Michael's question. "My dear Michael, I'm Captain of a ship," Jack told him as he gestured around regally with his ring-covered fingers, "and being Captain of a ship, I possess a sense of authority with my crew. Oi!" Jack shouted at Pintel and Ragetti, who were passing by, "I order you two to race across the deck. The winner receives a coin from me private stash. Go!"

Pintel and Ragetti immediately dropped what they were doing and both ran toward the opposite end of the ship. Once they had reached it, Pintel and Ragetti raced back. As they were doing so, Jack heard Pintel say, "Why does the Captain always single us out for things like this?"

"Because he knows we'll do whatever he asks," replied Ragetti.

Pintel shrugged and nodded his head in agreement, seeing no argument sufficient enough to challenge that statement. The pair then approached Jack, out of breath. Jack eyed them in amusement, reached into one of his pockets, and flipped a coin in the air, which Ragetti caught.

"Good work. Now, back to your stations! There's no lazing around on the Black Pearl! Honestly, ninnies!"

Pintel and Ragetti gave each other a look of exasperation and went back to their ship duties. When they were gone, Jack turned back to Michael and Jacquelyn. "See? No one dares defy Captain Jack Sparrow, savvy?"

"Yeah," Michael said, "I savvy."

"Excellent! Now– ..." Jack's words were abruptly cut short by Bootstrap calling out to him from across the deck.

"Jack! We could use some extra muscle over here!"

Jack glanced over to where Bootstrap and a few other crew members were attempting to haul something very heavy from below deck. Rolling his eyes, Jack straightened himself to his full height and looked back down at Michael and Jacquelyn.

"If you'll excuse me, I have some very important ship matters to deal with. But I hope to continue this little conversation of ours sometime soon." As Jack began to walk toward the group, he called out, "Oi! Put your backs into it! Haul! Haul!" He raised his arms violently over his head, miming lifting something up into the air.

Michael and Jacquelyn watched him go, clearly entertained by how he bossed around his crew.

"When do you think your mum and dad will tell him about me?" Jacquelyn asked Michael.

"I dunno," Michael replied, "whenever they want to, I guess."

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At that moment, Will and Elizabeth were still sleeping in their personal quarters on the ship. Will was resting soundlessly, but Elizabeth, who was laying beside him, was struggling and sweating slightly under the covers of their bed.

Elizabeth's dreams were the cause of this; they were filled with uncomfortable visions of something Elizabeth hoped to never see become real. But this particular dream was more like a vision of an event that seemed imminent.

_Elizabeth had been dueling for quite some time. Sweat was pouring relentlessly down her face as she willed her tired arm to continue parrying each swipe of the sword sent her way. Her surroundings were rather odd; it was as if Elizabeth was inside some sort of ship, but the ship had clearly been withered and decayed by time. Elizabeth knew she was inside the Captain's Quarters, because no other part of a ship was this spacious._

_She could feel her body begin to give up, but Elizabeth's heart told her she mustn't. For a reason she could not quite figure out, Elizabeth knew that she had to do everything in her power to win this duel; her future depended upon it. But the person Elizabeth was fighting seemed not to be exhausted from this ordeal whatsoever. He showed no indication at all of being tired or slow in his movements, on the contrary, it was as if Elizabeth's opponent could not become tired._

_In her left hand, Elizabeth clutched a vial of a neon green-colored liquid. Just like she knew that she had to win, Elizabeth knew that she had to do her best to protect the contents of this vial. The vial at first took on a tubular shape, but then expanded into a more circular base where the majority of the liquid was stored. The green liquid itself was thick, thick as blood, and appeared to be radiating a faint glow from within the vial._

_All of a sudden, Elizabeth was forced to the ground, her sword flying in one direction and the vial rolling across the floor in the other. It did not look as if the vial had been broken or cracked, and that was very important because something in Elizabeth's mind told her that the green liquid could not be spilled. Elizabeth then looked fearfully up into the face of her adversary, who was now towering over her. The person's face was hidden in shadow, but the sword grasped in their right hand gleamed brightly and ominously in Elizabeth's eyes. And slowly, the person stepped into the ray of light that was coming in from the cabin's window._

_When Elizabeth saw the face of her dueling opponent, she gasped in absolute shock. No, she thought, it can't be! Elizabeth gazed into the person's eyes, which radiated a cold expression of determination unlike any Elizabeth had ever seen._

_But before any type of sound could escape Elizabeth's mouth, the person standing over her raised their sword high and began to bring it down in Elizabeth's direction. Suddenly, a blinding flash of light blocked everything from view, causing Elizabeth to shut her eyes tightly. When she finally opened them, Elizabeth found herself standing face-to-face with Tia Dalma, who had a mysterious grin plastered across her face._

_Elizabeth looked around and noticed that they were surrounded by a blanket of pure white, with not a single object of any kind within sight. Elizabeth looked down to see that she was still wearing the clothes she had fallen asleep in, even her sword was tucked inside its sheath. Glancing back up at Tia Dalma, Elizabeth fixed the fortuneteller with a confused expression._

"_What's happening?" she asked._

"_I've managed to find a way to enter your thoughts, Mrs. Turner," Tia Dalma replied in her usual mysterious tone._

"_So...what I just saw...that was your doing?"_

"_What you have just seen is a brief glimpse of the future, Mrs. Turner. A future that's not too far off."_

_It was as if someone had just drenched Elizabeth's insides with ice-cold water. "You mean...that's going to happen? That was a real vision?"_

"_Indeed," Tia Dalma nodded._

"_But...how...?" Elizabeth sputtered._

"_The quest you are currently caught up in, Mrs. Turner, will set in motion events that will inevitably lead to what you just saw. It will be one of the important events that may help shape your destiny."_

"_Destiny?"_

"_The next chapter of your life will begin with tragedy, Mrs. Turner. I told you that. Do you remember what follows?"_

_Elizabeth racked her mind, desperately searching for the answer. "Revenge," she answered hollowly._

"_Aye," Tia Dalma smiled. "Revenge. You now seek revenge concerning your father's death. However, once that is finished, revenge will lead to desperation. What I showed you was part of that desperation."_

"_However, you did not show me the outcome of that particular situation."_

"_Nobody should know their own future," said Tia Dalma. "Our future is what we choose to make it. You've only seen a shadow of your future."_

"_Then it can be altered?"_

"_Not that part...just what happens after it. However, there may be a way to stop your vision from ever occurring."_

"_How?" Elizabeth asked eagerly._

"_You mustn't let Cortez be brought back from the dead," intoned Tia Dalma. "If he is, then that will mean the return of the sea goddess Calypso in human form."_

"_And that will affect my future?"_

"_I can't tell you anything else. Just listen to my advice."_

_Before Elizabeth could inquire further into Tia Dalma's mystery, everything around her shimmered out of focus and blackness enveloped Elizabeth's mind._

Elizabeth awoke with a jolt. She could tell immediately that she had been sweating and struggling in her sleep; her face was moist and the covers around her were in a mess. Breathing heavily, Elizabeth wiped her forehead and turned to her opposite side, where Will was awake and staring at her intently.

"Are you alright?" he asked concernedly.

"I...don't know," Elizabeth answered in a low whisper. She cleared her throat.

She sat up slowly, bringing her knees into her chest. Will sat up with her and gently began to rub her back.

"Elizabeth, I know when something's troubling you. What is it?"

Elizabeth looked deep into Will's eyes, then stared back at the tops of her knees. "It was just a bad dream. Nothing to worry about, really."

"Are you sure?" Will questioned as he continued to show his affection.

"Yes, yes. I'm fine." She leaned over and kissed Will. "Why don't you get some more sleep? I think I'll go see what Michael and Jacquelyn are doing."

"Which reminds me," Will said as he grabbed Elizabeth's hand when she got up, "when are we going to tell Jack that he's a father?"

"At the opportune moment," Elizabeth grinned back at him. She made to leave, but Will kept hold of her hand.

"So everything's alright, then?" he asked her one more time.

"Yes," Elizabeth reiterated. She leaned down and kissed him once more. Again, she tried to walk away, but Will kept her hand in his grasp. He kissed it softly before letting her go.But Will could not help but wonder what Elizabeth had seen in the dream of hers that caused her to become so troubled.

Will went over this again and again in his mind until he could no longer comprehend it. Sighing, he laid back down and went back to sleep.

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Hours later, day had given way to night. The Black Pearl was currently anchored out in the middle of a small portion of the ocean, its lamps on deck shining brightly under the blanket of blackness that had consumed everything. The people onboard were in the process of securing the ropes that were used to lower the ship's longboats into the shallow waters. Inside the longboat sat five people: Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Smith, and Gibbs. All five of them were acting rather shifty, as if they were expecting an ambush the moment the longboat had been placed in the water.

The moment the longboat had been lowered into the sea, Jack set to work by rowing with the wooden oars he clutched in both of his hands. Will and Elizabeth were checking over the condition of the weapons stuffed into their belts, making sure that each sword and knife was properly sharpened, each pistol loaded with enough gunpowder. Smith eyed them in slight amusement.

"I don't see the point behind bringing weapons," he said. "The guards stationed at the entrance will only force you to remove them before entering the chamber."

"Chamber?" asked Will. "There's a chamber on the island?"

Smith grinned. "It's more _inside_ the island, if you understand my meaning."

"How do we get there?"

"Just follow me, and everything will be fine."

For the next few minutes, nobody said a word. The longboat floated along silently over the still waters, gradually approaching an island that housed several congregations of palm trees and a massive rock cave. The cave was crudely formed, sporting many jagged edges. To get into it, there was a narrow strait of water, large enough for a longboat, that led into its open mouth. Inside, the faint glimmer of torches was visible, the only light in plain sight.

The Pearl's longboat glided gracefully along the strait, hardly making any sound at all. Within minutes, it had sailed into the mouth of the cave and was now making its way toward the group of torches that was radiating the only light inside the dark and cavernous location.

On either side of the narrow strait, there were stretches of land that followed the strait, leading to a spit of land at the end of it. Elizabeth observed these land pieces and saw things that were truly unnerving. Scattered about along the land strips were skeletons, obviously the remains of people who had long since met their demise inside this cave. Swords stuck out from in between the bones that comprised the rib cages, some swords even protruded from odd locations such as the empty eye sockets and the mouths. Elizabeth looked away from the skeletons, unable to stomach the gruesome sights. Smith saw what Elizabeth had been looking at and leaned in closer to her.

"Not a pretty sight, eh? What you see is what remains of those unfortunate souls that attempted to gain entry without a coin of The Clan."

"So no one from the outside has ever managed to infiltrate The Clan?" inquired Will.

"No. The Clan Of Cortez is extremely strict in the security measures it takes in order to ensure that the identities of each member are kept confidential."

"I hate secrets," said Jack. "Unless, of course, it's me who has the secret."

Just then, the longboat reached the spit of land and the light emanating from the torches on the cave walls cast everything and everyone in a better light. Jack picked up the rope in the longboat, searched for the item to tie it around, and did so. Everyone then stepped out onto the landmass, glancing cautiously in every direction for any indication of life.

For a few moments, nothing happened. There was no sound of movement nor flicker of a shadow that would have given away the presence of someone else in the cave. Jack was the one to finally step toward the cave wall in front of the group, one hand on his belt and the other outstretched so that he could caress the stone. However, the instant Jack's fingertips made the slightest contact with the wall, it rumbled and began to move aside; Jack jumped back. A portion of the cave wall was indeed sliding sideways, clearly a hidden door that led to something. Once the secret door had been fully opened, three armed men swarmed into the cave, rifles aimed at the pirate crew. There were shouts of phrases such as "Hands up!" and "Don't move!" as the three men formed a line in front of the group.

"Toss out your weapons and raise your hands!" barked the man in the middle.

Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Smith, and Gibbs all obliged and removed each and every one of their weapons from their belts. They then tossed them at the feet of the armed men and stepped back, their hands in the air. The two men on the ends of the line bent down and scooped everything up while the center guard moved toward Jack and his four crewmates.

"Who are you and what do you want?"

Jack merely glanced at Smith, who saw this, nodded and cleared his throat. "We are here to attend the reconvening of The Clan Of Cortez."

The man looked penetratingly at Smith, as if searching for any sign that Smith was lying. Finding none, he slightly lowered his rifle. "Confirm?"

Smith reached into his pocket, pulled out his Cortez coin, and threw it up in the air toward the armed guard, who caught it. The guard held the coin up to the light and stared intently at it. Smith smirked at it. "Don't bother; it's genuine."

The guard eyed the rest of the group suspiciously. "And them? Are they members, too?"

"No," said Smith. He gestured toward Elizabeth. "But the woman happens to be the daughter of our murdered secret-keeper."

"Is that so?"

"Yes."

The guard then turned his attention to Elizabeth. "I'm afraid I require proof of this claim."

"What do you wish to hear, then?" queried Elizabeth, her face impassive.

"Tell me something that only Weatherby Swann's daughter would know."

Elizabeth nodded to show that she accepted the question as fair, then began to cast around for things to say to this. She cleared her throat and stared directly into the guard's eyes.

"My father loved to buy me new dresses on any type of special occasion. When I was growing up, he was constantly under the impression that I was just like every other girl who grew up in the life of aristocracy; that is to say, he thought I wanted to be treated that way. I considered it rather irritable from time to time, however I didn't resent him for it. I loved my father very much."

Elizabeth delivered these words with undeniable feeling. She felt Will slip his hand into hers, and Elizabeth was grateful for the show of support.

The guard lowered his rifle when he had fully taken in Elizabeth's short speech, and motioned for his comrades to do the same, which they did. The guard stepped forward, his face unreadable. "Your answer is genuine enough." He then turned to Smith. "Very well, you may pass. But I'm not certain if I can allow your friends to do the same."

"Come off it!" Smith snapped. "I brought the next of kin of the secret-keeper here so that she could discover more about The Clan. Standard procedures in this matter dictates that she be allowed entry. You wouldn't want to defy protocol, would you?"

The guard glanced uncertainly between Smith and Elizabeth, clearly trying to make the right decision. "Alright, then," he said to Smith, "you and your friends may pass. Follow us."

The guards swept back around and walked through the still open secret doorway. Jack and the others followed them, but somewhat cautiously. The moment everyone had passed through the entryway, the stone door slid back into place.

Behind the concealed doorway was a stone staircase that twisted downward in a spiral. Jack and his crewmates followed the lead of the guards, looking at the walls on either side of them, which had rather unique symbols carved into them. The carvings depicted ships, obviously Spanish Armada vessels, sailing the sea and warriors who appeared to be Spanish soldiers, more likely the ones that had been under the command of Cortez himself, battling other soldiers with swords. The intricacy and detail of these carvings fascinated everybody and anybody who so much as glanced at them.

Soon, the staircase came to an end, and everyone found themselves standing in front of another doorway, where two more guards stood at attention on either side. The guards who had led the crew here informed the others of their status, and they allowed Smith and Elizabeth to pass. However, when the others tried to walk through, the two guards blocked their path with the spears that were clutched in their hands.

"Let them through," commanded one of the other guards. "They have special authorization from us."

One of the doorway guards looked reluctant to do so. "Our leader may not approve of such an action. He does not take kindly to outsiders."

"Let me worry about that. Now, let them pass." The guard put an emphasis on each of the last three words.

The two other guards did as they were told, allowing Jack and the others to pass. They soon joined Elizabeth, Smith and the two guards and began to walk through a narrow underground tunnel lined with torches. Every footstep echoed hollowly off the curved passageway, filling the silence in an eerie manner. The sojourn lasted for a few minutes until the contingent of people reached another door. This door was curved as well, and had a small sliding peephole in it. Once the first guard stepped close enough toward it, the peephole slid back.

"Seguro," said the guard; the Spanish translation of the word "safe".

The peephole slid back into place, and with a great creaking sound, the old wooden door opened inward. Without uttering a single word, Jack and his fellow crewmates stepped over the threshold, on the heels of their escorts.

What lay beyond this door was what Smith had talked about earlier: a secret and surprisingly spacious chamber. The chamber was lit by countless torches sitting on the elaborately carved stone walls. On the far wall of the chamber, there was an enormous map of the world plastered upon it. In the center of the room sat a gigantic round table; on the table's surface was the intricately carved crest of The Clan, made many times more bigger. Around the table were numerous wooden chairs, the majority of them occupied; two of the chairs were absent of inhabitants.

As the lead guard approached a man on the opposite side of the table who appeared to be The Clan's leader (he sat in a high-backed chair and seemed to be elevated higher than the rest of the men sitting down), Jack and his crew members remained in the doorway. They watched the guard converse with the leader of The Clan Of Cortez in hushed tones. When the guard had finished, the leader nodded and stood up, motioning for the guards to retreat to the side wall; they did.

The leader made his way around the large table and stopped in front of Elizabeth, offering his hand. Elizabeth eyed it and slowly put hers into it, shaking hands. The leader then brought Elizabeth's hand up to his lips and kissed it.

"Miss Swann," he began in a kind tone. "Welcome to Isla de Secretos. I am deeply sorry for your loss. Weatherby was a good man."

"It's Mrs. Turner, as a matter of fact," Will spoke up as he came to Elizabeth's side.

"Of course," said the leader. "Allow me to introduce myself. Alejandro Garza; leader of The Clan Of Cortez." Garza paused. "I've been informed that you came here because of your recent tragedy."

"Yes. My father was your secret-keeper. He left me a note explaining The Clan, its purpose, and what it protects. He wished for me to attend this meeting."

"That is both understandable and acceptable. After all, if the secret-keeper is murdered, then the duties of the position are passed on to any next of kin they may have."

"Well then consider this visit of mine my acceptance of the duties in which you speak of."

Garza nodded and motioned for Elizabeth to follow him; she did, accompanied by Will. The three of them made their way over to a raised platform behind the table. Garza stepped onto the platform and turned to face his guests.

"The Clan is facing a difficult decision. We must ensure the safety of what we've sworn to protect, but none of us has a ship or crew worthy enough of the task."

Jack dashed forward from the other side of the room. "If I may be so bold as to interject one's personal suggestion, me and my crew would me more than up to the task of finding and or protecting your treasure, mate."

Garza eyed Jack curiously. "And just who might you be, sir?"

Jack smiled. "I'm–..."

"Captain Jack Sparrow," Elizabeth finished for him.

Jack gave Elizabeth a look of disappointment. "You stole my thunder!"

"Captain Jack Sparrow, eh? I've heard of you, perhaps the most hunted man sailing the seven seas."

"You _have_ heard of me, then!" Jack smirked.

"Like I said, I have a requirement for a venture as well as need for a ship and a crew. Because if the control of the Spanish Armada falls into the wrong hands, it would spell doom for the rest of us."

"Well, as it so happens, my father left the map that leads to the ships of which you speak of _and_ the cache of stolen treasure that accompanies them."

"Did he, now?" asked Garza. "Can I see it?"

Elizabeth hesitated, looking over her shoulder at the table behind her. She placed her hand into the pocket where the map was stored. Monterro's words of another traitor in their midst rang in Elizabeth's ears, causing her to be a bit apprehensive about showing the map to Garza. "You would be amazed at how complicated a simple request like that can become," she answered finally.

Garza appeared confused. "What is so complicated about it?"

"I have reason to believe that there may well be a traitor in your midst," Elizabeth said loudly, turning around so that her words could be heard by everyone in the chamber.

Her words were met with an immediate uproar, as everyone stood up from their seats and started shouting. On his platform, Garza pulled a pistol from his belt and fired a shot off up at the ceiling. This caused everyone to become instantly silent.

"Who is this traitor?" Garza demanded, looking from face to face of each Clan member. "Let them reveal themselves!"

"The traitor obviously wouldn't do that because they would realize that they're outnumbered greatly," Elizabeth stated matter-of-factly. "We have no way of being sure of their identity."

One of the Clan members cleared his throat and spoke up. "How can you be sure that there even _is _a traitor? On what facts do you base this claim?"

"I was told so by another Clan member: Quen Monterro."

Garza replaced his pistol within his belt and drew a sword from his sheath. "Where is Monterro?"

"Dead, most likely. He was working with someone else within your ranks to help a man named Jonathan Barnet infiltrate The Clan and gain control of what you're protecting." Elizabeth paused. "The murderer of my father may be the same person who murdered Monterro. That would mean he would try to find a way to get inside this chamber and hear what we're discussing."

"Impossible. This chamber is nigh impregnable to anyone who doesn't have access," scoffed Garza.

"You're certain of that?" queried Elizabeth. "Because this killer may already have a spy of his own in here, cleverly disguised as a guard or a member."

"A baseless suggestion, Mrs. Turner. We've all been inside this chamber for quite some time."

Elizabeth thought about this carefully, trying to come up with a flaw in the fact. Finally, she found one. "How do you know that Barnet, the assassin's employer, didn't find a way to coerce someone in here to listen to what is discussed and then report directly to the hired gun himself?"

"This...Barnet has influence of that magnitude?" Garza asked nervously.

"We believe he does. Barnet already has the traitor who was working with Monterro, but what's to stop him from having a secondary plan?"

Garza's sword fell limply to his side and the man himself looked worried. "Then if what you say is true, then we must take action. Your crew has willingly volunteered to track down Cortez's treasure, along with his ships. Well, if the crew you're a part of is capable of such a task, Mrs. Turner, then I implore you to make sail with all haste and reach the island that they are kept on before our enemies do."

"My crew is more than capable!" Jack declared.

"Then the matter is settled. Find Cortez's ships and his treasure. But before you do that, you must hunt down an enchanted weapon known as _La Espada Dorada_."

"Translation being...?" Jack prompted.

"The Golden Sword. A sword forged by the finest gold; it has the power to kill any soul brought back from the dead. A useful artifact when combating the resurrected Cortez himself."

"Where is the sword located?" asked Elizabeth.

"On an island not far from here known as Isla de Muerta, otherwise known as The Island of Death."

"Isla de Muerta?" Jack said. "We've been there before!"

"You've been to the one in the mortal realm. Just beyond this island is a vortex created by the sea goddess Calypso herself in which the dead can roam free. You must navigate those waters and reach the other Isla de Muerta."

"How do we find it?" inquired Will.

"Trust me, you'll know it when you see it. But time is of the essence; you must leave now! Retrieve _La Espada Dorada _from Isla de Muerta, find the burial island, destroy Cortez's ships before they can be used for dark purposes, and kill the resurrected Cortez with The Golden Sword before he can summon forth Calypso in human form."

"That's quite a task," observed Jack.

"It's what is necessary. Captain Sparrow, your crew is the only hope The Clan has. You _must_ accomplish this mission."

"We won't fail you," Elizabeth reassured Garza before Jack could say anything.

Garza watched Jack and his crew leave, the massive curved door shutting behind them. Unbeknownst to him and everyone else, the traitor observed them leaving, everything that had just transpired still fresh in his mind. Soon, the traitor would have what Barnet promised him, soon the Turners and Sparrow would pay for a past crime. All that was left to do was go to McGivens and inform him of what they had to do.


	10. Tales Of The Past

Chapter 10

Barnet blocked the latest swipe of the sword sent in his direction. He shoved the blade, and its owner, away forcefully and began to advance upon them. Barnet raised his own sword and re-engaged his opponent, making sure that he kept the upper hand in the duel.

These two men were currently inside a private location somewhere in Port Royal. This was the building reserved for Barnet and his dueling sessions, in which the East India Trading Company captain improved upon his skills with a sword, and winded up victorious most of the time. Barnet's newest opponent had experience and it certainly showed in the course of the battle, however Barnet possessed even more skill and experience that far outmatched the man in front of him. Barnet always had to be certain that he would be constantly prepared for any sudden attack that might present himself, and practicing dueling was the only satisfactory way to do that in his eyes. Captain Jonathan Barnet prided himself on possessing fighting tactics, and made sure that his crew had the same mind set.

Barnet forced his opponent's blade out of his grasp, sending the sword skidding on the ground to the pair's right. Barnet then placed the tip of his sword at his defeated opponent's throat and smirked triumphantly.

"Yield," Barnet said.

Barnet's opponent raised his hands in defeat and Barnet helped him to his feet. As the man dusted himself off and Barnet slid his sword into its sheath, the captain noticed his right-hand man waiting for him in the far corner. Wiping his brow with his sleeve, Barnet made his way over to Mercer.

"Any news on McGivens' progress?" he asked.

"Yes. Our sources of information report that Jack Sparrow and his crew were last seen departing from the headquarters of The Clan Of Cortez, with McGivens' ship discreetly following shortly after that."

"And our men on the inside? What of them?"

"McGivens disposed of Monterro as discussed, the one who was at the meeting has provided McGivens with the necessary information, and our other compatriot has successfully managed to sneak aboard Sparrow's ship. So even McGivens does happen to lose the trail of the Black Pearl, our third spy will be able to make sure that McGivens regains his bearings."

"I trust then, that our second spy has returned to Singapore?"

"To the extent of my knowledge, he has. McGivens knows what to do once the sea goddess Calypso has been summoned forth."

"Excellent. All that remains now is to await word on how everything turns out."

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It was now early morning, and The Black Pearl was sailing swiftly in the blue-green sea that surrounded it. The crew members of the ship were doing whatever they pleased, going to and fro about the vessel. Inside the Captain's Quarters, Jack was sitting at his desk, hunched over his desk and consulting his compass for a proper heading; the map lay spread out in front of him. Will and Elizabeth were also there, observing the wily pirate captain as he made notes on the longitudes and latitudes.

Will was dwelling back on when they met up with Jack back in Tortuga and the discussion that followed inside the private room above the tavern. Will especially recalled Jack's behavior when the topic of Calypso had come up; he had acted quite nervous and jumpy, as if he feared the return of the sea goddess. In fact, this memory had Will slightly bothered since they had sailed from Tortuga. Will wanted answers, and he decided that now was the time to get them.

Will strutted over to stand in front of Jack's desk, staring down at the eccentric pirate. Will cleared his throat, which caused Jack to glance up from his work.

"Jack, I feel compelled to ask you something."

"William, did you not notice that I was busy studying the map so that I could get a better sense of a proper heading?" Jack asked with a twinge of annoyance in his voice.

"Yes, but this question of mine concerns the voyage."

"Does it, now?" Jack dropped the navigational items in his hands, propped his feet up on his desk, and leaned back casually in his chair. "Do tell."

"Back in Tortuga, when we were discussing what's lying dormant on the island we're sailing to, why is it you appeared so uncomfortable?"

Jack's face became a mask of confusion. "I'm afraid I'm not following you, mate. What are you babbling about?"

Will sighed. "When Smith mentioned Calypso returning in human form, you suddenly became what appeared to be frightened at such a prospect. Why, Jack? Is there some sort of history there?"

Jack sighed this time as he leaned back forward and started to drum his fingers on his desk. Finally, he gazed up into Will's eyes. "Calypso and I might have crossed paths some time ago. You see, after you and Lizzy helped me escape from the gallows, our dead friend Norrington started to relentlessly hunt me down. He chased me across the seven seas for I don't know how long. But finally, he came so close to capturing me, that I actually prayed for some sort of assistance that would get me out of that situation." He paused for a moment, still drumming his fingers on the desk. "And that assistance came in the form of Calypso...in her godlike form."

"But how?" asked Will. "I thought the Pirates' Council imprisoned Calypso in human form forever? Smith said so himself."

"Well, the details on how she temporarily managed to escape her fleshy prison are a bit vague, but suffice it to say that she found a way to do so."

"So what happened after Calypso came to you?" Elizabeth inquired, coming up beside Will in order to join the conversation.

"She and I struck a deal. She would create a vicious hurricane that would allow me to evade Norrington; that's how I knew to sail _around_ the bloody thing. Anyway, the hurricane destroyed Norrington's ship and I successfully escaped capture once again."

"But what did Calypso want in return?"

Jack laughed bitterly at the question. "Something I should have never offered. The Black Pearl."

"You promised Calypso your ship?" Elizabeth asked incredulously.

"Yep. I'm still berating meself for it. So now you understand my dilemma. If Calypso is summoned forth in human form, she'll no doubt wish to collect on my end of the bargain."

"So Calypso isn't in the mortal world?" queried Will.

"No. In addition to trapping her in human form, the Brethren Court also banished her to a parallel world that only the Brethren knows exist: The Eighth Vortex, the place where criminals and such brought before the Council go when the crimes they've committed are too horrible to come to a unanimous decision over."

"The Eighth Vortex? Why the unusual name?"

"Because it houses the secret eighth sea of the world. But that sea has become haunted by all manner of tortured souls who have died during their time there. The Eighth Vortex is a place where things that you only imagine in your nightmares come true."

"So I take it The Eighth Vortex is worse than Davy Jones' Locker?' Will said in an indifferent tone.

"In a word, yes."

An uneasy silence accompanied those words, which was finally broken by Elizabeth.

"But Smith said that Cortez is really the only one who can bring back Calypso because she entrusted him with that duty, is that correct?"

Before Jack could answer, his door swung open, and Smith came in. Jack grinned. "Your ears must be burning, mate. We were just talking about you."

"Nothing bad, I hope?" Smith smirked.

"No, we were just sitting here contemplating the tale you told us earlier about how Cortez was the one who would be able to bring back Calypso once the Spanish bloke has been resurrected from the afterlife himself." Jack delivered these words in an almost cheerful tone, as if the topic was something casual.

"Ah. You're wondering how the two people in question can be brought back in the first place, is that it?"

"Basically."

"Well, I feel I can provide a sufficient answer. You see, Cortez is already alive, in a manner. His soul floats around in the air on the burial island, awaiting the event that will cause his soul to reunite with its body."

"And exactly what event triggers that?"

Smith looked at Will, who had asked the question. "The arrival of intruders upon his island. Our presence will reawaken Cortez and his crew; the same goes for the guardians that protect The Golden Sword. Zombies."

"Zombies?" Jack asked nervously. "As in the walking dead?"

"The very same."

"Bugger! I hate these curses that accompany myths such as this one!"

"But what about Calypso?" said Elizabeth, repeating her question from before. "How does Cortez summon her forth?"

Smith sighed deeply, glancing down at his feet. It took him a few moments to answer and when he did, his voice sounded hollow. "Unfortunately, that particular aspect doesn't bode well for someone such as you, Mrs. Turner."

"What do you mean by that?"

"You're a woman," Smith answered shortly.

"A woman is required to bring Calypso back to the mortal world?" Even though it was a question, Will said it as more of a statement.

"A woman's blood, to be more precise. There is a locket in which Calypso stored a wealth of her power, although not all of it. Calypso prided herself on feminism, so she created a method that involved just that: blood that oozes from the flesh of a woman must be shed on the locket, and the locket placed within an enchanted stone inside a cave on the burial island."

"So it's essentially a blood ritual?" asked Elizabeth. "Much like the one that needed to take place on the other Isla De Muerta."

Smith nodded. "Calypso knew about Cortez's passion for bloodshed, so she modeled the ritual with him in mind. The blood of a woman is what will bring Calypso back to the mortal world."

"And how convenient is it that we happen to have a woman onboard my ship?" Jack said rather sarcastically.

"If the other people pursuing Cortez's treasure and the ships know about this and Elizabeth's presence in the crew, then they have all the necessities for their plan. All that's left for them to do is put the pieces of the puzzle in place, so to speak." Will did not like the direction in which this journey was heading.

"Then we should find a way of ensuring that Elizabeth doesn't fall into their hands," said Smith. "Otherwise, Calypso's fury will once again be unleashed upon the seven seas."

Jack made a movement as if he were about to say something, but a sudden shout from the deck stopped him.

"LAND HO!"

Jack, Will, Elizabeth and Smith abandoned their conversation and exited Jack's cabin in order to get a glimpse of the landmass in question.

They arrived out on the main deck to be greeted with the whole crew rushing over to the port side. The four pirates did the same and were soon rewarded with the sight of a familiar island. The island was composed mainly of jagged rocks, but a few areas of palm trees and grass mixed with sand could be spotted here and there. The second Isla De Muerta appeared almost identical to the original.

"Isla De Muerta," said Smith in a monotonous tone. "The godforsaken spit of land where The Golden Sword resides."

"Doesn't look any different from the other one," Jack observed. "Why is this of significance to Cortez, if it is at all?"

"Because Cortez hid another quantity of his stolen treasure on the Isla De Muerta located in the mortal realm of the world. He liked it so much, he asked Calypso to create a new one that was exactly identical."

"She has the power to do that?" Elizabeth asked, slightly stunned.

"Aye, you'd be surprised at what the sea goddess can do."

"So, Smith, might I inquire as to if there's any...unusual hindrances we may encounter on our little quest to find the sword?"

Smith nodded gravely. "There be the matter of zombie-like minions of Cortez, sworn to protect The Golden Sword at all times."

"Zombies." Jack repeated the word in an almost exasperated tone of voice. 'The foot soldiers of Hades himself, eh?

"Afraid so, Jack. But if you remember correctly, I've already informed you of them. If you don't wish to go ashore, that'll be completely understandable."

Jack looked surprised at the statement. "Why would I not want to go ashore? Someone has to keep you lot in line, am I right?"

"I think you've got it the other way around," said Will.

"William, I don't much appreciate your constant slander against my good name. Makes me look bad."

"Shouldn't we be preparing to go ashore?" Elizabeth felt the need to stop the spar before it became too out-of-control.

"Agreed. I'll be coming, and I suspect you two will, along with Smith?" Once everyone had nodded their approval, Jack clapped his hands together. "Well, then! Let's not waste precious time dawdling around! Step to it, let's get ready!"


	11. The Golden Sword

A/N: So sorry for such the long wait, but I'/ve been busy with other things recently. I just wanted to update before tomorrow (8-1-07), which happens to be my 17th birthday. Anyway, enjoy these next two updates.

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Chapter 11

Michael and Jacquelyn watched the process of a longboat being prepped for departure for the second time in 24 hours. They were both aware that Jack and a few others were about to go ashore on the island that The Black Pearl was currently anchored near in order to retrieve something called The Golden Sword. The very name of the artifact heightened both Michael's and Jacquelyn's curiosity considerably, and the pair wished to accompany the group who was going ashore. The kids had weapons stuffed into their belts, so they decided to try their luck; Michael and Jacquelyn approached the longboat.

"Oi!" a voice called out. "What're you doing?"

Michael turned on the spot to face Jack, who was giving the duo a suspicious glare. Michael put on his best innocent expression and smiled.

"We were just going to climb into the longboat. You never know when you'll need an extra helping hand."

Jack walked over and stared down at Michael with even more suspicion. "And what say your parents to this little proposal?"

"Oh." Michael shot Jacquelyn a desperate look, but Jacquelyn merely shrugged helplessly. Grinning once again, Michael attempted to play around the inquiry. "Well, I helped you out when you were looking for the Amulet of Atlantis, so I just thought I'd do the same here."

"Michael, do you honestly think that William and Elizabeth won't find out about this?" Jack asked in a tone that bordered on sarcasm. But still, Jack could not help but feel impressed at the young boy's show of pirate traits. However, a stern voice soon jarred Jack from his reflections.

"Find out about _what_?"

Will and Elizabeth, fully armed for the trek ahead, made their way over to where the captain and two children stood, serious expressions plastered across each of their faces. They came to a halt beside Jack and Elizabeth gave him a penetrating stare.

"Find out about _what_, Jack?" Elizabeth repeated firmly.

Jack suddenly feigned confusion, as if he did not know what Elizabeth was talking about. "Er...I'm sorry, what was the question?"

"Jack..."

"We want to come along with you," Michael spoke up, sparing Jack the interrogation. But the instant he said those words, Michael wished he hadn't. The extremely serious looks his parents gave him made Michael think that he had just pulled another one of his cruel pranks and was receiving punishment for it.

Elizabeth knelt down in front of her son. "No, it's too dangerous."

"Mum," Michael protested, "I've been in dangerous situations before. And I was able to take care of myself. Plus, Dad's taught me how to handle a sword the right way."

"Sweetheart, please try to understand...your father and I don't want to put your life at risk anymore than it already is."

"How is this any different than we went after the Amulet of Atlantis?"

"Because the circumstances are more extreme," said Will, bending down next to Elizabeth. "The people whom we are facing are more ruthless and unmerciful than any other pirate you may meet. These people are cold-blooded killers, and they won't hesitate in killing children such as you and Jacquelyn."

"Jacquelyn and I can take care of ourselves! After all, I'm the son of two pirates."

"We're not pirates, Michael," Elizabeth told him. "Your father and I are merely people who got caught up in all this business against our will. And we don't want you to face the repercussions of our actions."

"But I want to fight with you. I want to help keep you safe because you're my parents and I love you."

Will and Elizabeth looked at Michael with tears beginning to brim in their eyes. Without uttering a single word, Elizabeth pulled Michael into her arms and hugged him close while rocking him back and forth gently; Will wrapped his arms around both of them.

"We will be safe, we promise. We've survived worse things before and this will not be any different from those instances." Elizabeth tightened her hold on her son as Michael and Will did the same.

From a short distance away, Jack and Jacquelyn surveyed the scene somewhat awkwardly. "Sentimentality," said Jack. "Never saw the significance of it."

"Isn't there anybody you care about...Captain?" Jacquelyn asked the question rather hopefully, as if she wanted Jack to realize how much she looked up to him, like a loving daughter does with her father.

"I care about meself," Jack shrugged. "Can't think of anyone else worthy of care."

"What about Michael's parents?"

"My miniature little friend, William and Elizabeth Turner are what I consider burdens to bear. They always come to me in the hopes that I'll help them get out of a sticky situation."

"But...you're still friends, right?"

Jack smirked. "Define the term."

Will and Elizabeth walked over. "Prepare the longboats for departure. My father is coming along with the shore party, so we'll need someone to stay behind and watch over Michael and Jacquelyn."

"Not a problem, mate. Just pick a babysitter and we can be on our way."

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The bright sun had soon been swallowed completely by a thick blanket of clouds that caused the late afternoon setting to appear as early evening. The longboat carrying Jack, Gibbs and the three adult Turners cut through the calm waters of the sea effortlessly, as if the longboat itself was gliding on air.

The foreboding vision of the massive cave ahead was meant to send an ice-cold shiver running down the spines of people who approached it. However, that effect did not wash over any members of the Black Pearl crew as the longboat drew ever closer to its destination.

Within minutes, the longboat had passed through the mouth of the ominous cave that was an exact replica of the Isla de Muerta cave that the crew had visited many years before. Inside said longboat, Elizabeth was busying herself by fidgeting nervously with her hands. Will noticed this, smirked knowingly, and wrapped a tender arm around his wife.

"Something wrong, luv?" Will rarely used the term "luv" because he thought it was too...piratey, he figured, however he used it in instances such as these where Elizabeth seemed troubled in order to soothe any uneasy feelings she might be experiencing.

Elizabeth appeared to snap out of her reverie and come back to the situation at hand. "I was just...thinking, that's all."

Will could detect the faint air of vagueness in Elizabeth's voice and sought to discover the source of it. "Thinking about what?" He tried the approach of keeping his questions simple.

"It's just...," Elizabeth's voice momentarily trailed off. She breathed in deeply and cleared her throat. "I'm not convinced of Michael's safety."

Will nodded in understanding as he closed his eyes. He had suspected that this would be the issue. Softly and lovingly, he placed his hand against the side of Elizabeth's face and turned it so that the couple was staring into each other's eyes. "Michael will be safe aboard the ship. As well as Jacquelyn. They have an entire crew watching over them."

Elizabeth chuckled in dry sarcasm. "A crew of drunken idiots."

"Oi! I heard that!" Jack said over his shoulder from his seat at the front of the longboat.

"I assure you, Elizabeth, everything will be fine. All we have to do is retrieve this sword and get back to the ship."

"While fighting undead minions on our trip out of here," Jack added.

"Do you _always_ have to take such a pessimistic view of things?" Elizabeth asked Jack, her voice scolding.

"Pirate nature, luv. There's never enough goodness in our world to fully appreciate things."

As Elizabeth rolled her eyes and sighed, Gibbs leaned in toward Jack and spoke. "Smith said the restin' place of The Golden Sword should be right around tha' bend." The elderly adventurer pointed ahead toward a spot where the narrow strait they were currently traveling on curved to the left. Light poured inside the cave from the gaping holes in the rocky roof.

"Did our friend happen to mention exactly how we are to go about actually getting the sword?" Bootstrap asked.

"Smith said that the sword is wedged into a rock at the center of this very cave. All we have to do is pull the bloody thing from said stone, use it to kill the undead soldiers of Cortez and get back to the ship. Doesn't sound so bad, does it?"

"No," said Will. "It sounds incredibly easy." His tone of voice made it abundantly clear that the task was anything but. However, Jack did not seem to catch this.

"That's the spirit, mate!"

Will and Elizabeth secretly shared looks of exasperation as Gibbs and Bootstrap grasped the oars in their palms tighter, helping to turn the longboat so that it followed the strait's path without scraping against the sharp rock surroundings.

When the longboat had fully maneuvered itself to the proper position, its occupants were treated to a clear view of the cave's massive center space. This particular portion of the cave was large enough to fit an entire ship inside, and probably two more along with it. Here, the seawater that was filtering in from outside seemed to become more violent, as it was thrashing about and causing miniature waves to crash against the walls. But at the center was a raised platform with a cylindrical rock-made stage with small and crude steps carved into it. At the top of this stage was something majestical: a ruby-encrusted sword hilt that was protruding straight up into the air, the rays of sunlight dancing off of each jewel. Beneath the hilt was the slightest hint of a golden blade.

This sight captivated Jack and his fellow adventurers, but only temporarily. Once Elizabeth had been satisfied with staring at the piece of treasure they were after, he gaze wandered over to the cave walls, where she saw things that were truly bone-chilling. Embedded in the rock foundation were what appeared to be human bodies, or merely the outlines of human bodies. But the faces of these figures seemed tortured and agonized; most of them looked like they were shouting silent cries of pain. Elizabeth's eyes trailed up the lengths of their outstretched arms to see each person holding onto various sharp weapons.

Elizabeth could not take another moment of this, and averted her gaze next to the water around the longboat. The light from outside was dancing flawlessly off of the liquid barrier, causing what was lying beneath to become clearly visible. Once again, Elizabeth's blood immediately ran cold at what she saw. Way below the surface of the water floated decayed human bodies, all dressed in armored gear with what appeared to be Spanish markings. These bodies were obviously those of the deceased, but something deep down inside of Elizabeth told her that these bodies were the zombies that Smith had warned them of; tormented souls just waiting to spring back to life at a moment's notice and attack.

A sudden bump and lurch forward told Elizabeth that the longboat had just made contact with land and that they needed to step out to grab The Golden Sword. Once everybody had stepped foot on land, Jack secured the longboat's rope so that it would not float away while they were fulfilling their mission.

Cautiously, as if they were fearing an attack at any moment, the congregation of pirates ascended the stone steps leading to The Golden Sword, each person's footsteps echoing hollowly off of the cave walls. In under a minute, Jack had reached the spot where the ruby-covered sword hilt stood, its blade buried within solid stone.

Jack circled the hilt, scrutinizing it and trying to come to a conclusion about how best to remove it from the rock. After a few moments of silent contemplation, Jack shrugged his shoulders.

"I'm really one for practical means, anyway."

Jack leapt forward, wrapped his fingers firmly around the hilt of The Golden Sword, and tugged with all his might. Jack's muscles strained under such a difficult task and sweat began to perspire beneath the bandanna on his head, but Jack felt the sword begin to slide upward all the same. With each tug, The Golden Sword rose another few inches out of the stone it was resting in until finally, with one last powerful tug, Jack succeeded in pulling the weapon out of the stone.

The golden blade of the sword was enchantingly beautiful; it had infinitesimal diamonds and rubies embedded in it in a perfectly straight line that ran from the hilt to the sharp tip of the sword; each of these diamonds sparkled magically under the light. The weight of The Golden Sword was no different than that of a regular sword, but it certainly felt heavy because of Jack's soft hold on it. Jack's grip on the treasure weapon seemed to suggest that he was under the impression that the sword would fall apart if too much pressure was applied to it.

Smirking madly, Jack turned to face his comrades, all of whom were staring at The Golden Sword with vacant expressions upon their faces. "I think I just found the perfect new sword for me."

All of a sudden, the cave's floor started to rumble and quake violently, causing bits and pieces of the roof to come falling down and crash into the ocean water. The water began to bubble and froth rapidly, the noise matching the roar of the crumbling foundations. This soon gave way to a terrifying sight: from the cave walls, the human bodies Elizabeth had seen earlier broke free of their rock prison, flexing their limbs and looking around with disfigured faces. With each passing second, more and more zombies erupted from the cave walls, weapons held at the ready in their decayed hands.

But the walls, it turned out, were not the only resting places of said zombies. Figures of the same misshapen manner were soon emerging from the bubbling surface of the surrounding water, the very sight of their evil forms breaking through the barrier enough to make anyone's blood run cold.

As Jack and the others stared, frozen to their spots, the zombies slowly began to approach them, weapons raised in attack poses.


	12. The Power Of The Golden Sword

Chapter 12

Unbeknownst to the Pearl crew, McGivens' ship had arrived just a short distance away from where Captain Jack Sparrow's vessel currently floated. McGivens knew at once that they were here to retrieve The Golden Sword, the very same artifact that McGivens himself needed if he wished to obtain command of Cortez's fleet of Spanish Armada ships. With haste, McGivens had rounded up a small contingent of men to accompany him to shore, where they would find a way to steal The Golden Sword from Sparrow and his crew and soon they were sitting inside a longboat of their own, gradually rowing into the cave of Isla de Muerta.

Prepared for the worse, McGivens and his men had armed themselves with the necessary weapons, should a fight break out between them and Sparrow's crew. McGivens now sat inside his longboat, clutching the top of a loaded rifle in his rough hands, a determined expression plastered across his face as he stared ahead at the cave's ominous opening.

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The zombies continued to slowly approach Jack and the others, their nightmarish faces contorted in oddly blank and impassive expressions, the job they were about to carry out seemingly routine to them. Everyone who had accompanied Jack into the cave gathered around the pirate captain, silently drawing their swords in the same instant. The Golden Sword was still lying in Jack's hands, but upon seeing the Spanish conquistador zombies emerge from their hiding places, he tightened his old on the hilt.

Will, his very own sword stretched out in a duel pose in front of him, turned his head to speak to Jack. "What's the plan?"

This time, it was Jack's turn to look at the person beside him. "Why would you assume that I would conveniently have a plan with which to handle all of this?" He gestured wildly at the still-approaching wraiths.

"Well," Will retorted petulantly, "_you_ were the one who led us into all this, so naturally I came to the conclusion that you would have a plan in mind that we could use to escape should a situation such as this arise!"

Jack momentarily mulled over Will's words. "Good point," he said, snapping his fingers and giving Will a roguish grin.

"Well?!" Will demanded in frustration. "Do you have a plan or don't you?"

Jack quickly eyed the zombies who were still making their way toward the pirates. "What say we make this one up as we go along, eh?"

"I'm all for that!" declared Elizabeth before leaping down to join the zombies and begin the duel. Moments later, her compatriots followed her lead.

Jack had stuffed The Golden Sword into his belt before leaping down to level ground and as he jumped, he unsheathed his usual dueling blade, bringing it up in a battle stance the instant his feet touched on solid earth again. The zombie standing before Jack stared at him blankly, a long and curved sword clutched in his discolored and decayed right hand. With a noise that could easily be compared to an old wooden floorboard creaking under a great deal of stress, the zombie lunged forward wordlessly and clanged his sword against Jack's.

Jack was immediately forced into action, as he parried the zombie's first sword lunge just in the nick of time while swinging it to meet the wraith's next blow within seconds. Jack stepped forward with each new lunge he delivered and in turn the zombie matched every step, the two opponents now engaged in the usual dance that accompanied a sword duel. Suddenly, Jack forced his blade downward and in the course of a millisecond, used his sword to flip the zombie's sword into the air and out of the demon's hand. Not hesitating for a moment, Jack swung his blade down upon the zombie's right arm; an action that caused the limb to become detached from the body and fall to the ground as if it were an everyday event. Jack allowed himself the briefest moment to stare down at the bloodless severed limb in disgust before promptly landing a swift punch to the center of the zombie's blank and disfigured face, which made it limply roll off of the shoulders.

"Ew!" declared Jack with just a hint of disgust in his voice.

Will was coming along rather nicely as he was dueling two zombies at once. Soreness was gradually beginning to make its presence known in Will's right arm, and when he noticed this, Will threw his blade into the air and caught it flawlessly in his left with one quick movement. After that, Will acted instantly and plunged his sword deep into the zombie's chest, but that accomplished nothing, Will soon realized. Thinking fast, Will placed his right boot under the spot on the wraith's chest where his sword was currently lodged and yanked on it firmly; it came out easily. As Will maneuvered his blade in various angles above his head, continuing his exhausting duel with the hellish minion of the cave, he began to consider alternatives. Coming to one at last, Will forced his undead opponent's blade away from his face and swung his own down in an arc that chopped the zombie's legs off just under the knees. The zombie immediately fell heavily to the cave floor and for a moment, Will thought that he had emerged victorious. However, that feeling evaporated when Will saw something gruesome and shocking at the same time occur: the flailing stumps that were the zombie's severed legs soon had what looked to Will like replacement lower legs growing graphically from the ends of them until the zombie's legs had been fully restored. Will looked away in disgust, and noticed that the same exact thing was happening to a zombie that Jack had just sliced up.

The zombie that Jack had robbed of its limbs had regrown its severed arm, complete with another sword clutched in its scabbed and decayed hand. It also cricked the neck of its new head and groaned in a frightening manner.

Jack sighed. "Bugger!"

Meanwhile, Elizabeth and Bootstrap were fighting side-by-side, dueling a group of four Spanish conquistador zombies at once. Elizabeth shoved the latest swipe directed at her away while spinning on the spot and elbowing the nearest zombie in the face before plunging her blade into the exact spot where the zombie's heart should have been. Next, Elizabeth battled another, rather ugly zombie relentlessly. For a while, Elizabeth seemed to have the upper hand in the duel, but soon her blade was knocked away, leaving her defenseless. Elizabeth then heard another clang, and she turned to see Bootstrap have his own blade knocked out of his grasp by an even uglier zombie. For the slightest moment, Elizabeth and Bootstrap caught each other's eyes, and they silently made a quick decision with just that look.

Moving as quick as a flash, Elizabeth and Bootstrap dived under the legs of their zombie opponents, going for their fallen swords. Each of the pirates wrapped their fingers around the slightly warm metal hilts of the weapons, but instantly realized that they had the other's sword. Leaping to their feet, Elizabeth and Bootstrap tossed the swords into the air and they both caught the blades that came toward them while the weapons were still flying through the air. The moment that was completed, Elizabeth and Bootstrap plunged their blades into the zombies yet again, but this did nothing to deter the wraiths. They simply stepped out of the blades and continued to fight. Elizabeth ducked when her nightmarish opponent sent his sword swinging at Elizabeth's head and when she came up, Elizabeth's elbow collided hard with the zombie's back, sending the demon flopping to the floor. In the same instant, Elizabeth kicked the zombie's sword out of his hand so that the weapon flew up into the air, where she caught it by the hilt. Next, Elizabeth spun around on her heels for the second time, bringing down the two swords in her hand so that they met two incoming blades from two more zombies. Elizabeth used her arms to punch both wraiths in the face and leap forward from between them. But she noticed that the zombies were attempting to attack her from behind, so Elizabeth flipped the blades in midair so that the tips were now pointing behind her, and she thrust them backward and upward; the zombies went down like sacks of potatoes. Still determined, Elizabeth continued to duel.

Currently, Jack was battling more zombies and slicing off any part of them he could, but still, the body parts grew back into place the instant they were detached from their source. Whenever Jack would take off an arm, it would reappear only seconds later in the original's place. After the latest attempt, Jack gave a frustrated sigh.

"Can't you just stay dead, you ugly, petulant little creep?"

Jack lunged forward in what he knew was a futile attempt to defeat the undead wraith, and as a result had his sword knocked from his grasp. The weapon went flying to the right, clanging down above the cave floor and audible over the roar of the raging battle surrounding them. Jack smirked sheepishly at the zombie.

"Don't suppose there's any way I can offer my _sincere_ apologies for the 'petulant little creep' comment, is there?"

The zombie said nothing, mainly because he could not form two cohesive words, and he dived toward Jack with his sword directed at the pirate captain's heart, however Jack moved just in time and jumped toward his fallen weapon. Jack was able to avoid the clutches of the zombies around him, but one of their feet kicked Jack's sword away at the last instant, the blade slipping just out of his reach yet again. Grunting in frustration, Jack was forced to roll out of the way of more incoming feet as they all attempted to smash in his face. Just then, Jack's fingers brushed up against something that was stuffed into his belt: The Golden Sword. While dodging another foot, Jack rolled and leapt to his feet and withdrew The Golden Sword from his belt in the same motion.

The moment The Golden Sword made contact with the first zombie's blade, there was an enormous explosion of golden sparks. As Jack and the first zombie continued the duel, Jack noticed the considerable amount of force that was incorporated into each blow when the swords clanged against each other; it was if the sword itself contained more power than any normal sword. After a series of impressive maneuvers, Jack shoved his opponent's blade away and was able to plunge his blade into the zombie's chest, and this time, it seemed to have an effect on the wraith. As Jack pulled the sword sharply out of the zombie's chest, the demon dropped to the cave floor in a lifeless heap. Jack raised the blade of The Golden Sword to eye level and noticed, amazingly, a line of blood that soon vanished as if it had been absorbed into the golden blade itself.

Jack did not have much time to comprehend this rather amazing feat however, because two more zombies immediately attacked, and Jack had to bring The Golden Sword up to block the pair of incoming blades. Next, Jack battled, clanging The Golden Sword against both blades at the same time, alternating between the two metal weapons in the course of mere seconds. Suddenly, with one great swing that sent the zombies' swords flying, Jack brought The Golden Sword up slightly and swung it in an arc straight in front of him; the result was the blade ripping through the chests of both zombies. Seconds later, the two now lifeless wraiths began to shiver continuously until their decayed bodies literally melted, their remains slopping onto the cave floor. Jack then glanced over at where the body of the first fallen zombie lay, and sure enough saw a small pool of the greenish liquid that the other two demons had burst into.

The sound of frustrated grunting soon reached Jack's ears, and he turned to see Will furiously battling another Spanish conquistador zombie, evidently losing progressively. Jack momentarily looked down at The Golden Sword hanging limply in his hands and he came to a conclusion inside his head.

"Oi! William!" Jack called out. "Heads up!"

Quickly, Jack tossed the sword in the air, where Will caught it with his free hand. Knowing what had to be done instantly, Will parried one last blow from his zombie opponent and plunged The Golden Sword into their chest swiftly. Again, this particular zombie's body melted the moment the shining blade made contact with the palish skin. Shortly thereafter, The Golden Sword was hanging suspended in the air, the hilt of said sword still clutched in Will's hand. Will turned his head toward where Elizabeth and Bootstrap were currently busy dueling their own nightmarish opponent and called out Elizabeth's name.

"Elizabeth!"

Without another word, Will tossed Elizabeth The Golden Sword; she caught it and forcefully stabbed both of the zombies facing her simultaneously, the blade going through both of them at the same time and they melted into oblivion. Another shout soon punctuated the air.

"Sword!"

Elizabeth recognized the voice and threw The Golden Sword in Bootstrap's direction; he caught it firmly. He roughly sliced of the heads of three more wraiths in one swift movement; both them and the headless bodies melted away instantly.

"Sword!" cried another voice.

In turn, Bootstrap tossed The Golden Sword to Gibbs, who was battling the last remaining wraiths. Once the Sword was in his hands, Gibbs hacked off every arm (all of them melting before they hit the ground) and finally finished them off by stabbing each in succession. Now, every zombie had been killed by The Golden Sword. Everyone who had been involved in the short battle now had their hands on their knees, their swords sheathed and taking great gulps of air.

"Why is that it's always _us_ who experience all these supernatural occurrences?" asked Jack rhetorically. "You know, it's all starting to get redundant!"

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Unnoticed by everybody else, McGivens and his men had been able to sneak inside the main portion of the cave, and they had been observing the battle in amusement. McGivens knew that The Golden Sword, which had been replaced in Jack Sparrow's grasp, was what he had to obtain and he had to acquire it quickly. He looked at his men, giving them a curt nod.

Wordlessly, all of them raced out into the open, weapons raised and loaded.

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Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Bootstrap and Gibbs all looked up sharply as McGivens and his men stormed the cave in a drove. No one dared reach for their own weapons, for fear of being riddled with bullets the second they did.

McGivens stepped up toward Jack, a smug and satisfied smirk playing across his lips.

"Captain Jack Sparrow...we meet again."

"Small world, in't it?' said Jack dryly.

"I don't wish to waste any valuable time, so I'll cut to the chase, shall I? Hand over The Golden Sword or all of you die."

The sound of hammers being pulled back filled the confines of the cave, the echoes reverberating ominously around everyone. Jack looked down at The Golden Sword resting in his hands, truly contemplating his options. He then glanced up at his friends, all of whom were giving Jack expressions that clearly told him what to do.

Almost cautiously, Jack held out The Golden Sword to McGivens, and the mercenary took it satisfactorily.


	13. The Traitor Revealed

Chapter 13

McGivens held The Golden Sword in his hands as if the artifact was a child of his. The gleaming golden blade reflected brightly in the mercenary's eyelids, but McGivens did not allow himself the luxury of blinking. Gently, McGivens tucked away the weapon in his belt, keeping the rifle clutched in his other hand steadily trained upon Jack and the others.

"I thank ya for your kind generosity, but I'm afraid we must now have a permanent parting of the ways."

"You can escape now," said Jack, "but what's to stop us from following your ship and regaining The Golden Sword through brute force?"

McGivens shrugged while smiling ruthlessly, stepping closer to Jack. "Well, the fact that ya no longer have a ship in your possession."

"Care to explain?"

"Certainly. Ya have a traitor aboard your ship, Sparrow. Someone who's been helping me stay on your trail and arrive at this cave. They've been foolin' ya since day one."

"Who is it, then?" snapped Will.

"Smith, of course."

The words seemed to echo off of the cave walls as if they had brought everything to a complete stand-still. Jack, Will and Elizabeth gave each other a dark look as McGivens continued talking.

"Yes, Smith. Barnet was able to get to him and he agreed to help Barnet get to these islands. Everyone has a price."

A terrified expression suddenly came across Elizabeth's face. "We left Smith aboard the Pearl along with Michael and Jacquelyn."

"Worse...we left the entire ship in his command." Will's face, at the moment, was grave.

"Tut, tut," taunted McGivens. "Leavin' the ship in the command of a double-crossin' gutless pig ain't exactly the smart thing to do."

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The Black Pearl floated peacefully just outside the cave, its inhabitants unaware of the situation inside the rocky formation. Smith was currently standing at the railing of the ship, staring out at the cave; a hardened expression was etched across his face. Pintel and Ragetti approached him, each of them standing on either side of Smith.

"I bet ten coins that they make it out of there alive," said Pintel.

"But you have to factor in the supernatural beings that live in the cave," Ragetti countered. "Obviously, they'll make everything more difficult."

"Yeah, but the Captain and the others have faced mythological creatures before, so when they come out of the cave victorious, you'll owe me ten gold coins."

"Quiet!" barked Smith. "You two ain't helpin' matters with your pointless arguin'."

Pintel and Ragetti looked at each other uncertainly. "Do we have to say anythin' back?"

Pintel answered with a shrug.

Ragetti turned his head to stare out at the wide expanse of ocean surrounding the Pearl, and was met with the sight of another ship anchored to the seabed out in the distance. "Maybe that bad feeling has something to do with that boat out there."

Dan, a crew member with a curious expression across his face, turned to see what the wooden-eyed crew member was babbling about and spied the very vessel in question. Dan extended the telescope that was cradled in his hands and stared through the lens with his right eye. Dan was able to see the ship's massive sails rippling in the breeze and when Dan lowered the object, he saw different men of varying shapes and sizes walking to and fro about the main deck. Some of the men were not engaging in any suspicious activities, however most of them were either loading gunpowder into pistols and rifles or sharpening the blades of swords and daggers.

"Mary Mother of God," breathed Dan as he lowered the telescope. "All hands look alive! Enemy ship on the horizon!"

"Colours?" inquired Smith.

"Fly-nanny. Prepared for assault." Dan shoved the telescope into the hands of Pintel, who had followed Dan, and raced over to the entrance down to the cannon house. "Get ready for a fight, boys!"

"Nay, belay that order!" shouted Smith.

Dan gave Smith a genuinely surprised look. "Are you mad?"

"No," Smith answered calmly, "just determined."

Suddenly, Smith whipped out a pistol, pulled back its hammer, and aimed it at Dan. "Determined, that is, to allow Captain Barnet control of the seven seas."

Dan, his eyes glued to the barrel of the gun, surreptitiously attempted to reach for the sword tucked into his belt but Smith spotted the action.

"Don't try anything foolish," he spat. "Otherwise, the brats will each get a bullet in the head." Smith's voice was calm, but his actions were extreme. He shifted the position of his pistol so that it was now aiming at Michael and Jacquelyn, who both stood rooted to the main deck a short distance away, staring at the situation intently.

"Hey!" exclaimed Michael in surprise.

"Shut it!" snapped Smith.

"So you've been workin' alongside Barnet all along, eh?" Dan asked bitterly.

"Yes," Smith sneered. "I've been guiding his hired gun all this time, leading him to these islands so that success could be ensured for Barnet. But I must admit, my friend, I'm rather surprised. As a pirate, your number one rule should be to trust no one."

"I don't need ta' stand here and listen ta' your stupid babbling while my cap'n is in that cave with danger lookin' him straight in the eye."

"Quite right. Now, what say we wait patiently for both my compatriots and your friends to arrive? They should be along any minute now."

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Everyone sat in the longboats, not uttering a single word partly because of their gloomy mindset. McGivens and a couple of his men sat in the lead longboat while Jack, Will, Elizabeth, Bootstrap and Gibbs all sat with their hands bound tightly together, separated in two different longboats. Other members of McGivens' crew kept guard over them, the weapons held in their arms belonging to Jack and the others. Jack, Will and Elizabeth all sat together in one longboat while Bootstrap and Gibbs sat in another.

Elizabeth was currently staring down at her feet in silent sadness, tears beginning to brim in her eyes; it was evident what was on her mind. Will, who was watching her solemnly, did his best to move his bound wrists over so that he could hold Elizabeth's hands in his; it worked.

Once Will's hands had enclosed over Elizabeth's, Elizabeth looked up into Will's chocolate brown eyes meaningfully, seeking comfort. She found exactly that and was grateful to have Will as a husband. Not saying a word, Elizabeth leaned over slightly and rested her head on Will's shoulder just as the longboats emerged from the cave's mouth.

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Everyone had boarded the Black Pearl by the time fifteen minutes had gone by. McGivens and his men, including Smith, stood in triumph while others went about tightening the ropes that were binding together the wrists of every Pearl crew member. Jack and his crew stood huddled together on one side of the ship while McGivens and his own crew were scattered about on the deck of The Black Pearl. Michael and Jacquelyn were included in the congregation of pirates being held captive, their wrists held together by a single line of rope.

At the moment, Jack was glaring daggers at Smith. He still could not get over the fact that a close friend of his could betray him so easily.

McGivens, though, smirked genuinely at the traitor. "Well done, Smith. Your skullduggery has proven successful."

"You've lied to us this entire time!" Elizabeth spat, struggling against her bonds and being held back by two muscular henchmen. Will moved to do something about this, but wound up being restrained as well.

"Afraid so, Mrs. Turner. Everyone can be bought for a reasonable price."

"Only those whose souls are stained with greed," snarled Will.

Smith chuckled to himself and stepped forward. "One thing you should learn, Mr. Turner, is that there are hardly any pure souls left in the world. Sin is an unavoidable aspect of life."

"Sin is avoidable for those who make the right choices," retorted Elizabeth. "It's people such as you who choose to corrupt their lives by committing crimes that will go unforgiven."

"Save us the lecture," said McGivens as he stepped between Smith and the Turners. "There's a more pressin' matter at hand. One that concerns a certain treasure and a couple of ships. How do we proceed from here, Smith?"

"Captain Barnet only seeks leverage over Calypso, but he also desires the power of an unstoppable fleet."

"He'll get Cortez's ships, of course, but what's this 'leverage' you're talkin' about?"

Without saying a single word, Smith reached into his coat pocket, fumbled around for a minute, and finally produced what was clearly a silver locket. "This," he answered. "Calypso's locket."

The locket in question had a heart-shaped case large enough to fit in the palm of someone's hand and was connected to a slightly rusted silver chain that was meant to be draped around a neck. Using his thumb, Smith opened the case, revealing a bright, shining blue jewel that seemed to emanate the distant sound of ocean waves crashing against rocks.

"Once brought back in human form, Calypso must do whatever the owner of her locket commands," explained Smith in a calm tone.

McGivens suddenly tore his gaze away from the locket once Smith snapped the case shut. "And exactly how did you come to acquire such a treasure, Mr. Smith?"

Now everyone, including Jack, was listening intently to hear the answer.

"My first task for Captain Barnet was to locate this locket and steal it from its previous owner...the Pirate Lord of Singapore, Cheng Lo."

"Wait a second," exclaimed Jack. "Why would a Pirate Lord have Calypso's locket?"

"Don't inquire too much into matters that are none of your concern, Jack. You might just find yourself in a situation with dire consequences."

Jack snorted bitterly, gesturing around him. "Too late for advice such as that, mate."

"Alright," McGivens spoke up, getting his conversation with Smith back on track, "so since we have the leverage over Calypso, the only matter that remains is how to summon her back to this world?"

Before he gave the answer to the inquiry, Smith turned his head to look at Elizabeth, a smug smile slowly playing across his lips. "Fortunately, the solution to that problem lies with us already. There's a stone inside the central cave on the island we have to reach. In order to bring Calypso back to the mortal realm, the blood of a woman must be spilt on that very stone."

McGivens, catching on to Smith's meaning, also glanced at Elizabeth but his expression contained more amusement. "Kill her?" he asked simply.

"Not necessarily. But I would say that decision is entirely up to you, Mr. McGivens."

McGivens, his amusement now more obvious, motioned for two of his men to bring Elizabeth forth. They did so, with Elizabeth struggling against their hold all the while. Once Elizabeth was close enough, McGivens took her face into his rough hand, holding it up to inspect her beauty properly. "It would be a shame to see such beauty go to waste. I'll think the fate of this bonnie lass over until we reach our destination, but in the meantime, this lovely wench can share my quarters."

Upon being called such a distasteful term, Elizabeth spat right in McGivens' eye, but the mercenary simply laughed in amusement.

"Take her away," he ordered.

With trouble, the two crewmen hauled Elizabeth to the wooden plank that was connecting the two ships. Meanwhile, Will was furiously struggling to free himself in order to do something about it. He elbowed the henchmen on either side of him in the gut, causing them to double over in momentary pain, which allowed Will to dash a few feet toward the plank. But he was soon stopped by a rifle slamming into his chest and a forceful pair of hands shoving him to the deck. Will soon felt the barrel of a rifle press against his temple, accompanied by the sound of its hammer being pulled back.

"Move again! _Move again!"_ reiterated a gruff voice above Will.

"Dad!" came Michael's cry from across the deck.

McGivens stared down at Will, almost sympathetically. "Take these pieces of filth down to the brig including this belligerent little codpiece and chart a course to the central island. Also, make sure the line tied to this ship is secure so that we can properly tow it with us." That being said, both McGivens and Smith retreated to the other ship as the henchmen forcefully guided the Pearl crew toward the brig on McGivens' ship.

Will felt more rough hands haul him to his feet and push him along in his friends' wake. As they all were progressing toward the opposite ship, Will began to formulate a plan to escape their captors within his mind.


	14. The First Loss

A/N: As much as it pained me to write it, the first major character death of the saga is in this chapter. Well, actually the character in question could be considered secondary but still...be prepared.

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Chapter 14

The prison cells inside the fort of the town of Port Royal were mainly lit by the torches lining the wall opposite the continuous line of iron bar gates that confined the prisoners to small, square-shaped cells. Each cell had three walls composed of the same rusted iron bars, but one final wall in the back made of grime-encrusted stone that was the result of countless years of no scrubbing. The grime, muck, and in rare cases dried blood that dirtied the stone wall was meant to instill a deep sense of degradation in the people who inhabited each cell. The emotion was certainly coursing through the veins of Mary Thomas, who had a prison cell all to herself.

Mary sat on the bench that was pushed up against the dirty stone wall, staring blankly down at her hands; she was twiddling her thumbs weakly, as if it was the only thing she could do to keep from falling into an eternal sleep. Mary had lost track of how long she had been behind bars, but she could certainly recall the exact reason she had been arrested in the first place. Officers of the British Royal Navy who were under the command of Captain Jonathan Barnet had stormed her house and placed her in shackles, claiming that Mary had knowingly withheld vital information concerning a certain pirate named Jack Sparrow, information important enough to warrant a jail sentence. The arrest had taken place the night of Governor Swann's funeral, while Mary's daughter Jacquelyn had been spending the night at the Turners' house, unaware of what was happening to her mother. Of course, Mary had attempted to contact the Turners to inform them of her situation, but had discovered that both Will and Elizabeth had mysteriously disappeared...along with their son Michael and Mary's daughter Jacquelyn.

Mary's fear, one that still existed, was that she had been arrested partly because Captain Barnet needed a way to get to Jacquelyn, who happened to be the result of a night spent in the company of Jack Sparrow. Barnet would no doubt believe that if he had Jack Sparrow's daughter, the pirate captain would do anything to meet the demands of the East India Trading Company agent. But Jack had never even seen his daughter after she had been born, so he would have no reason at all to risk his neck for Jacquelyn because he had never really had the time to become emotionally attached to the girl. But Mary deduced that Jack would still have an obligation to protect his own flesh and blood, even if he had never come into contact with Jacquelyn before. Paternal instincts were one thing that could never be overlooked.

The sounds of whistling and catcalls coming from the filthy men in the adjacent cell block brought Mary back to her senses. She glanced over at the men, who were all leaning against the iron bars so that their arms were poking through the gaps, their hands gesturing Mary toward them. Uncomfortably, Mary inched further away from the scoundrels.

Mary looked up from the ground when she heard the rattling of keys in the lock of her cell door, keys being rattled and turned by a Navy officer in full uniform. Once the cell door had been opened, two familiar men stepped inside Mary's cell: Captain Barnet and his right-hand man, Mercer.

"Good evening, Miss Thomas," Barnet greeted her. "I wonder if I could have a word?"

"Concerning what?" Mary asked, her tone like ice.

"Any more useful information about Jack Sparrow."

Mary snorted in bitterness. "I believe I told you all you needed to know when you fed me that truth serum of yours a while back." Upon her arrest, Mary had been told the details of why she was being detained; it had truly surprised her.

"Well, I'm afraid we haven't probed _every_ part of your brain." Barnet motioned to Mercer, who nodded and swept over to Mary. Suddenly, Mercer grabbed Mary's head with both his hands, exerting all of his physical strength in order to hold Mary's head still. Mercer then wrapped his fingers around Mary's chin, applying even more force to the action. Slowly and gradually, Mercer managed to open Mary's mouth. In front of them, Barnet extracted a small glass vial from his overcoat and uncorked the top. Inside was a clear liquid; obviously more of the truth serum.

"Careful, sir," warned Mercer. "Too much of the serum could poison the blood in her veins, killing her instantly."

"Let me be concerned about the proper concentration with which to feed her."

Mary was now struggling furiously in Mercer's grasp, but the villain still managed to hold her steady. Barnet approached them at a deliberate pace before finally force-feeding Mary a measured amount of the truth serum. Barnet then backed away, eyeing Mary curiously.

"Miss Thomas," he began, "can you hear me?"

Mary's eyes were now glazed over at this point, an empty expression across her face. "Yes," she answered in a distant tone.

"Miss Thomas, can you tell me anything else concerning the pirate Jack Sparrow and any acts of piracy he may be engaged in at the moment?"

It took a considerable amount of time for Mary to answer, but finally she did. "No." The phrasing of the single word was simple.

Barnet regarded Mary with an expression that combined confusion with anger. "Are you certain, Miss Thomas?"

"Yes."

Barnet then momentarily stared down at the glass vial in his palm. He looked back up. "Miss Thomas, please open your mouth."

Unable to fight the influence of the serum that was already coursing through her veins, Mary obliged. However, Mercer stepped forward.

"Captain, you've already given her the proper amount. She must be telling the truth."

"We'll soon find out."

"Sir, if you give her too much, it'll be the same as murder."

"Mr. Mercer, in this business, you must be prepared to do whatever is necessary in getting the job done. Certainly, you'd have realized that by now?"

Mercer did not respond but merely nodded curtly while stepping aside. Once again, Barnet stepped up close to Mary and poured the remaining contents of the vial down her throat.

The effect was not instantaneous, but gradual. Mary's blank face became even more empty and she started to gasp for air, clutching her throat at the same time. Mary toppled off the bench, landing on the floor and writhing the moment she did. Her body was jerking so violently that it attracted the attention of the prisoners in the cell next door. Then, as fast as Mary's body had begun to jerk around, it all stopped just as abruptly.

Mary's body lay on the ground, unmoving and almost ghostly. An eerie silence now descended upon the cells, everyone still reeling from the shock of what just happened. Mercer bent down, placing his first two fingers on Mary's throat, checking for a pulse. He looked up at Barnet and shook his head.

Barnet sighed deeply and whispered to Mercer, "This cannot incriminate us. Stage a scene...make it appear as if a struggle took place." He glanced conspiratorially over at the prisoners in the adjacent cell. "They're witnesses...silence them. Permanently."

Without a second thought, Barnet turned on his heel and exited the prison, leaving Mercer to do what he did best. The death of Mary Thomas was tragic of course, Barnet thought, but in times like these...any death was an acceptable loss.

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Elizabeth sat alone in McGivens' quarters aboard his boat, taking in her surroundings. Her wrists were still in shackles, and she knew that any attempt to escape now would be futile.

The walls of these Captain's Quarters were mainly bare, but there was the occasional map or weapon hanging from an open space. The sky outside the small window was just beginning to fade from light blue to bright pink, the sign of evening looming. Elizabeth then fixed her gaze upon the desk in front of her; the surface of the wooden structure was lined with knifes and daggers of varying appearances. Elizabeth was able to come to the conclusion that these were instruments of coercion, weapons used specifically to gain certain information through torture. The idea unsettled Elizabeth and she started to wonder whether McGivens was planning on torturing her.

One knife in particular caught Elizabeth's eye. It was placed in the center of all the rest and it was certainly the largest. The blade was stainless silver steel, with a black handle that had silver pieces jutting out before it reached the blade. The handle was in the shape of a snake's head, and the silver pieces on each side served as its open mouth. Near the tip of the handle was a small, glowing ruby that was obviously the eye; there had to be another one on the opposite side.

Suddenly, the door to the cabin opened and in walked McGivens. After closing the door behind him, McGivens took off his hat, crossed over to his desk and sat down, fixing Elizabeth with a sinisterly polite smile.

"Admirin' my collection, Mrs. Turner?"

Elizabeth narrowed her eyes in suspicion. "How is it you know my name?"

McGivens chuckled. "Oh, I know all there is to know about yeh...my employer Captain Jonathan Barnet saw to that."

"So Barnet _is_ after us. But why?"

"Simple, Mrs. Turner. He sees yeh and your family as opposition to his plans. That and he wants revenge for the death of his brother. I believe you'll recall someone named Cutler Beckett?"

Elizabeth gasped slightly. "Barnet is Beckett's brother?"

"Aye. Yeh were responsible for Beckett's death, and that particular murder has come back to haunt yeh."

"What's in all this for you, McGivens? What could you possibly hope to gain?"

"The opportunity to command a fleet of some of the most powerful vessels in the world, along with the satisfaction of killin' one of the most feared figures in history...Hernando Cortez. And the only way to do that is to run The Golden Sword through his heart."

"Ambitions such as those don't always go according to plan," said Elizabeth.

"But every single event that helped shape this journey has...starting with the assassination of your father."

Cold fury abruptly took over Elizabeth's internal being. "What?" was all she could force herself to say.

"Yes," sneered McGivens, "as I recall, it was this very blade that I used to stab his heart." The mercenary picked up the knife that Elizabeth had been observing only minutes before and began to admire the blade. "Excellent craftsmanship. This knife was made particularly for me and it hasn't failed me yet."

All of a sudden, Elizabeth lunged forward at McGivens, but the mercenary had been anticipating this, with his free hand, McGivens reached into his right boot and pulled out a small pistol, which he cocked and aimed directly at Elizabeth's forehead. "There's really no need for senseless violence, Mrs, Turner...at least not yet. Besides, you dyin' sooner than anticipated would cause a problem in terms of Calypso's resurrection."

Her eyes glued to the barrel of McGivens' miniature pistol, Elizabeth forced herself to sit back down. "So you really are going to kill me?"

"I'm not a man of empathy, Mrs. Turner. I've never shown mercy once in my life; it was how I survived my entire life."

"You _will_ fail. If I know my husband, and I assure you that I do, then he will stop you before this goes too far."

"Don't kid yourself of what I'm capable of, Mrs. Turner. There's hardly anything that can stop me at this point."

"Or so you think."

McGivens smirked. "This is real life. There's no dashing hero to come to your rescue."

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Will paced around the cell in the brig of McGivens' ship that he shared with Jack, Michael, and a few other members of the crew. Michael was sitting down, watching his father pace nervously while Jack sat in the far corner with his hat pulled down over his eyes.

"You continue to do that, and you'll get yourself dizzy, mate," he said indifferently.

Will abruptly stopped and walked over in front of Jack and snatched up his hat. "Why don't you come up with a plan to get us out of here and save Elizabeth before it's too late?"

"For your information," said Jack as he reached up and grabbed his hat back, "I do happen to have a plan."

"Then why aren't we trying to escape?" asked Will.

"Because my plain doesn't require us to break out of the brig," Jack answered matter-of-factly. "But once we get on the island we're heading toward, that's when we must leap into action. And don't touch my hat!"

Will sighed in frustration and crossed the cell to sit down beside his son. Michael looked up at his father.

"Is Mum going to be alright?" he inquired, his voice shaky with fear.

Will wrapped an arm around Michael and pulled him close. "Don't worry. Nothing is going to happen to Mum, I promise." Will kissed the top of Michael's head.

"Actually," piped up Jack, "I'm afraid that this little blood ritual McGivens is planning may have to occur. Oh, I won't allow dear Lizzie to be killed," he added hastily upon seeing Will's expression, "but all my plan requires is a prick of the finger and a few drops of blood. Honest; pirate's word."

"If anything goes wrong, Jack, you'll need more than a sword for protection," Will intoned seriously.

Suddenly, there entire ship gave a violent lurch; the result of the anchor being dropped down into the ocean and hitting the seabed. Then came the sound of feet running to and fro about the deck overhead as McGivens' crewmen went through the duties of securing the ship.

Jack looked at Will and smirked. "We're here."


	15. Hernando Cortez

A/N: Chapter 17 is written, but since I've been updating this story in 2's, I'll have to finish Chapter 18 first. Bad news, school starts back tomorrow. But the good news is that I only have 3 more chapters left to write.

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Chapter 15

The central island was larger than the rest in the area in terms of square miles. The majority of open land was blanketed by a sea of palm trees and other pieces of forestation that sometimes blocked out the sun, not that there was much sun to begin with. At the center of the island was a large and active volcano, which currently had steam billowing out of its open top; the volcano was flanked on either side by two smaller, but large enough structures that were obviously specially designed caves to be used for rather sinister purposes, given their ominous and haunting appearances. What was more, the cloudless blue sky of the bright Caribbean day seemed to be virtually cut off from existence as the portion of sky surrounding the island was composed of thick, impenetrable gray clouds that gave the impression of an imminent storm.

The sand on the island was also rather unique; instead of lying completely still and in small mounds, as sand normally does, these innumerable grains moved as if buffeted by the gusts of wind from the air above. The moving sand also seemed to suggest that there was a huge snake of some kind beneath it, moving about here and there as if unsure about its destination. The palm trees of this island were contorted into odd and rather unsettling ways, as if the trees were human bodies whose limbs had been twisted at grotesque angles. The collection of islands in this vortex were reputedly Calypso's design, and it was evident that the sea goddess had a very sick and disturbed sense of presentation.

At the shoreline, longboats carrying both members of McGivens' crew and Jack's crew, including the eccentric pirate captain himself, were secured to ensure that they would not float away with the tide; everyone inhabiting them hopped out and onto the shore which was being assaulted with waves rolling in from the ocean. Black boots slammed down upon the moist sand, creating depressions in the form of the soles of each leather boot. McGivens' men went about tightening the ropes which bound the wrists of Jack and his crew after they had gotten a satisfactory view of the island. The brutes then poked the barrels of pistols in the small of each person's back, ushering them forward.

Ahead of everyone else, McGivens and Smith walked beside each other, with two other henchmen behind them who were dragging Elizabeth along with them by holding on tightly to each of her arms. Sooner than she had anticipated, Elizabeth noticed that the goons pulling her begin to get restless. The result of this was the pirates starting to grope her.

Elizabeth angrily elbowed each pirate in the gut, forcing their dirty hands off of her. This enraged the scoundrels and they had almost fully drawn their weapons when the exasperated voice of McGivens stopped them.

"Don't," he sighed. "It's not necessary to engage in such barbaric actions."

His henchmen nodded silently as they replaced their weapons. Elizabeth, however, gave McGivens a steely stare.

"I didn't realize that you were a man of principle, McGivens," she sneered.

McGivens snorted in amusement. "I'm not, Mrs. Turner. I just don't like to see women bein' treated so disrespectfully; it taints the image of a proper gentleman."

"Is that how you refer to you and your men and the actions in which they take part in? Proper?" Elizabeth did not even try to mask the tone of sharp rudeness that her question carried.

McGivens, however, chose not to answer; he merely stared straight ahead and continued to walk alongside Smith, rubbing his hand across the hilt of The Golden Sword, which was stuffed into his belt. After a few minutes of silence, McGivens inclined his head toward the former Clan member.

"You're certain that this is the island we need to be on?" the mercenary asked.

"Positive," Smith replied. "Isla de Secretos houses the tombs of both Cortez and Calypso."

"And the Spanish Armada?"

"Waiting in the depths of the surrounding ocean for someone to command them...the corpses of the crewmen bound to them, much like the coral that encrusts each vessel."

"So, tell me, how do we reawaken Cortez?"

Smith, who had the map of the area clutched in his hands, unrolled it and began to scrutinize it. "According to the map, the tomb of Cortez is located inside the same cave we're heading toward. All we have to do is simply shift aside the stone slab covering the un-decayed body, and the Spanish conquistador will live again."

"And, as you've informed me, it must be Cortez who performs the blood ritual...otherwise, Calypso will not be resurrected."

Smith grinned. "Correct, Mr. McGivens. And I trust that your men are more than capable of dispensing with our...collateral before it's too late?" Smith indicated Jack and his crew at the mention of the word 'collateral'.

"You've completed yer part of the bargain, Smith. It's high time yeh allow me to complete _mine_."

Smith nodded as he caught the maniacal glint in McGivens' eyes. "Understood."

"So you can just go about killing people without remorse," Elizabeth spoke up again, "and it would be considered good business, am I right?"

"There _is_ no good business in this world, Mrs. Turner," said McGivens. "Merely the business of good men."

"If you consider yourself a good man, McGivens, then you are sorely mistaken."

McGivens suddenly reached into his belt and grabbed his pistol, pulled back the hammer, and aimed it in-between Elizabeth's eyes. "Enough talk," he spat. "I prefer silence as opposed ta' pointless blabberin'!"

Elizabeth glared defiantly into McGivens' eyes. "You can't kill me now. It would put a damper on your plans."

McGivens sneered. "Maybe not." Quick as a flash, McGivens pointed the gun just inches away from Elizabeth's right foot and fired off a shot. The sudden action caused Elizabeth to jump a step back, gasping in surprise; some henchmen laughed in amusement. "But what's to stop me from giving you an injury?"

Elizabeth did not reply and McGivens laughed as he went about reloading his pistol. Just then, the congregation came to a halt in front of the entrance to one of the caves that were situated on either side of the mountainous volcano. The craggily archway no doubt led to a small pathway that twisted and curved until it reached the main portion of the cave. From the light filtering in from outside, McGivens was able to see a torch resting in an iron sconce on the interior rocky wall. Without looking back, McGivens held out his hand behind him; a gesture for one of his men to hand him their pistol. Someone did exactly that and McGivens used the weapon to ignite the torch by discharging the gun.

The moment the first torch had been lit, others along both walls simultaneously did the same thing. McGivens, grinning as he did so, tossed the pistol over his head and grabbed the torch he had lit. McGivens then turned around, staring at Elizabeth.

"Make sure her bonds are as tight as they can be," he ordered. "We don't want the bonnie lass runnin' off, do we?"

Elizabeth scowled back at the mercenary as the two brutes on either side of her tightened the ropes encircling Elizabeth's wrists, which caused them to cut into Elizabeth's flesh. Elizabeth did not have much time to think about the pain, however, as she was promptly pulled forth by the muscular minions into the cave.

The trek through the cave lasted only a matter of minutes. The pathway seemed to wind in every possible direction until at last, the narrow space opened up into a wider, oval-shaped chamber with even more flaring torches resting upon stone walls that were smoother than they had to be, given the location. Unlike the cav e that housed The Golden Sword, this particular rocky structure had no body of water inside it; it was only hard earth and marble stone. Glittering multicolored specks were scattered about in the floor, twinkling under a solitary ray of light coming in from the curved ceiling. In addition to the flat stone floor, the light from outside shone down upon two objects placed at the center of the chamber: a curiously colored rock that changed its color every few seconds by means of something sparkly at its core and beside that, a gray tomb with a large stone slab on top of it. Clearly, the tomb was that of Hernando Cortez, awaiting to be reawakened by the simple shifting aside of the slab on top of his tomb.

Everyone cautiously stepped into the chamber, each pair of eyes darting around quickly in order to absorb their surroundings in as little time as possible. Once they all were well within the confines of the circular stone chamber, McGivens turned to face his men.

"It'll take quite a few of yeh to move that stone slab, so I suggest yeh get to it."

A group of five muscular henchmen, including the two who had been dragging Elizabeth into the cave, immediately rushed forward and up the nicely carved stone steps that led to the tomb. Meanwhile, McGivens pulled out his pistol for the second time in under twenty minutes and placed it against Elizabeth's temple.

"I'll stay with you to make sure you don't go gettin' any cute ideas," the mercenary snarled.

The five crew members had ascended the stone steps very slowly, as if they each feared something to suddenly lunge out at them at any moment...a feat that did not seem entirely impossible in a place like this. At last, the henchmen reached the tomb of Hernando Cortez and they all spread themselves apart around it. Below them, McGivens observed their slow progress in annoyance.

"Just get on with it, yeh idiots!" he called out.

McGivens' men each stared at each other with slight trepidation, preparing themselves for the task with which they had been bestowed. Finally, the pirates nodded and placed their fingers underneath the stone slab covering the tomb, getting a proper grip. Next, the men heaved, lifting the slab with all their might, the veins in their arms suddenly becoming visible. The sound of sliding stone filled the chamber and it reverberated off the walls, invading everybody's ears instantly. Grunting accompanied the rough sound, and the noise lasted under five minutes.

The sound of scraping stone abruptly ceased, stopped by a peculiar rumbling noise which sounded like a click. The click caused the five henchmen to stop moving the slab and to stare down at the tomb in curiosity. The moment of silence did not last long, however, as a sudden loud _bang!_ And burst of light erupted from within the tomb and sent McGivens' men hurling backward and dropping hard on the chamber's stone floor. Beneath the tomb, everyone who stood watching staggered back a few steps as a result of another violent gust of wind that both rippled clothes and sent hair flying.

Next, the torches that were perched high on the circular wall were extinguished with an eerie blow of chilly wind. The chamber was now blanketed in a shroud of darkness that was nigh impenetrable to everyone who stood inside it. Suddenly, a corpulent beam of greenish light rose up from the now open tomb of Cortez, stretching up to the domed ceiling of the chamber. The faces of everyone inside the chamber were illuminated in the ominous lighting, their gaping mouths and wide eyes apparent. White smoke then began to billow from the four sides of the stone tomb, providing an even more fearful sense of danger to the already nightmarish scene. The smoke soon became thick and impossible to penetrate for the human eye, but one thing _was_ visible: a dark figure rising from the tombs, its massive arms outstretched on either side of him. The figure turned around just as the thick cloud of smoke began to dissipate, revealing the figure in a more clear light as the chamber's torches suddenly flickered back to life.

The man who had risen from the stone tomb was an imposing being. The resurrected Hernando Cortez was bedecked in all black clothing and plates of dull gray metal armor. Black hair hung down from both sides of his face, which was ruggedly handsome while cold and hardened at the same time. Muscular arms bulged beneath the sleeves of Cortez's top, which blended almost perfectly with leather gloves that came up a considerable length of his arms. The belt which held his black pants up effectively grasped a sword with a large and jagged blade, accompanied by other fearsome-looking knives and pistols with intricately carved designs covering the handles. Large boots covered enormous feet that helped the Spanish conquistador step out of his tomb and start to descend the stone steps leading down to level ground.

Cortez took in many breaths of fresh air, reveling in the sensation of being alive again. Despite countless years of being stuck inside of a tomb, the flesh on Cortez's body had not decomposed in any way. He came to a halt in front of the crews of Jack and McGivens, surveying all of them intently. A dark smile played across his lips.

"Nothing is more empowering than being awakened from an eternal sleep." Cortez's voice was that of a gentleman, but a gentleman who abided by his own laws his tone was controlled, something that seemed to indicate self-restraint. "I am extremely grateful to you for bringing me back into the mortal realm. Now, the dreams and ambitions that I so desperately sought before my death can finally be made into realities."

McGivens, relinquishing his grip on Elizabeth's arm, cautiously stepped forward and acknowledged the resurrected killer with unwavering respect. "Hernando Cortez, great conqueror and revered commander of an unstoppable fleet, I had you brought back for a reason."

Cortez stared at McGivens with an unreadable expression. "Ah, yes. I deduced as much. After all, that was the deal I struck with Calypso so naturally, I _would_ have to fulfill my side of the bargain." Cortez's voice was also accented with a perfect Spanish tongue. "You seek to summon forth the sea goddess herself in human form for your own purposes, and I am the one with the ability to do so. I trust you are familiar with the ritual that must be performed?"

"Of course," said McGivens. "The blood of a woman must be spilt over that very stone there in order to successfully bring Calypso back." McGivens indicated the glowing stone in question with the hand that still clutched his pistol.

"Indeed. The woman? Where is she?"

McGivens roughly pulled Elizabeth, her wrists still bound tightly, forward and brought her face to face with Cortez. The Spanish captain quickly sized Elizabeth up with one upward and downward glance and nodded in approval.

"She'll do perfectly. Give her to me."

Cortez grabbed Elizabeth and hauled her over to the second set of stone steps that led to the enchanted stone that served as the grave for Calypso's god-like soul. Along the way, Elizabeth struggled in protest, but there was simply no escaping Cortez's firm grip. Within seconds, Cortez and Elizabeth had reached the top of the stairs and were standing upon the platform that surrounded the Calypso stone, which was glowing more brilliantly than ever with the blue light.

Below, Will had managed to temporarily escape from his captors and darted toward the set of stairs, only to be stopped by a blow from McGivens with the butt of his pistol. Will sank to his knees, gasping for air while McGivens aimed the weapon at his head.

"Try anythin' again, and I'll put a bullet righ' between yer eyes, boy!" McGivens snarled down at Will.

Will, his breath now regained, stared vehemently up at McGivens. "If you think that you'll get away with this, then you're operating under astronomical assumptions."

"Don' talk at me with those fancy terms of yours. I'm the one with the gun aimed at yer head and my finger on the trigger. You've lost. I've won." McGivens pulled Will to his feet and placed the gun barrel at his throat this time. "I'm the last person on the face of the Earth that yeh wanna tick off." McGivens pulled back the hammer with his thumb. "Yeh wanna try yeh luck? Go righ' ahead."

Will did not respond, he merely closed his eyes solemnly before McGivens shoved him backward, where he was instantly grabbed by two pirates.

On the platform, Elizabeth and Cortez had been watching the scene play out below them. When it was finished, Cortez reached down to the stone column the Calypso stone was resting upon and picked up a gold dagger that had been resting beside it. The hilt of the dagger was pure gold as well, with many different rubies and other various diamonds encrusted into it. Cortez then gripped the hilt more firmly and eyed Elizabeth with an expression of pure anticipation.

"Don't fret, my dear," Cortez said in an eerily silky tone, "it'll be quick and painless."

Elizabeth glared at Cortez with narrowed eyes. "What would _you_ know about pain?"

Cortez smirked. "More than you'd expect."

He suddenly grabbed the back of Elizabeth's neck and pulled so that she was now bent over the Calypso stone, her face in the closest proximity to it. Cortez brought the blade up under Elizabeth's neck until it practically, but only slightly, touched the skin. Elizabeth started breathing in short and uncontrolled gasps that resembled hiccups. Then, Cortez slowly brought the blade down to the ropes that tied Elizabeth's wrists together and in one fluid motion, cut the bonds. The action caused a small bit of blood to emanate from the flesh on Elizabeth's hands but she did not have time to dwell on the slight pain because Cortez roughly grabbed Elizabeth's left arm and tore the sleeve covering it with the dagger. A bit of skin was now revealed and Cortez placed the tip of the dagger on top of it and quickly sliced it. A long, thin line of blood was now on Elizabeth's arm and Cortez brought it to rest on top of the Calypso stone so that the blood was oozing onto the blue rock. When Cortez removed Elizabeth's arm from the stone, Elizabeth yanked it from his grasp and began to dab at the wound with her torn sleeve.

Meanwhile, the blood that had been rubbed onto the Calypso stone started to spread in a straight line down the circumference of the stone. Cortez looked down at the sight with a wry smile and stepped back, as did Elizabeth. The line of blood soon began to glow and turn to pure light which shone brightly, blinding everyone inside the chamber and causing them to lift their arms in front of their faces in order to protect their eyesight. The bright light preceded a violent rumbling that shook the entire chamber and knocked everybody to their feet. Cortez leaped down from the high stone platform and landed on his feet on the smooth stone floor while Elizabeth was thrown off the platform but grabbed the edge just in time and she dangled from the platform. Below her, Will dashed forward and placed himself directly beneath Elizabeth. The continuous shaking inside the chamber caused Elizabeth to gradually lose her grip on the edge of the platform and fall down to the floor, where Will caught his wife in his arms. The couple kissed before Will put Elizabeth back on her feet and they both retreated to the far wall, where everyone else currently was.

Back on the platform, cracks were beginning to form in the Calypso stone, allowing even more rays of bright light to shine. The rumbling grew and the cracks became more pronounced and quite abruptly, the Calypso stone shattered into countless pieces and a downpour of water came from the domed ceiling; but this water did not pour down into a straight line, instead the water formed the outline of a human being and within seconds, the figure the water had been creating was complete.

A beautiful woman now stood on the platform, observing her physical features in rapt fascination and astonished delight. Her hair was blonde and her skin perfectly tanned; she was dressed in piratical attire that mixed the colors of the sea with other regular colors that gave her the appearance of a Goddess, which was exactly what Calypso was. Calypso's eyes were blue and her beauty infallible, but her appearance betrayed her demeanor. Her temper and fury were things that could not possibly be predicted.

But one thing was certain: the sea goddess Calypso had returned in human form.


	16. Consequences

Chapter 16

Not a solitary sound was made as Calypso descended the stone steps, walking toward the vast group of people comprised of the crews of Jack and McGivens, all of whom ha their eyes fixated unblinkingly upon the reincarnated sea goddess. The light coming from the flickering torches danced ominously across Calypso's face, providing a slightly unsettling sight of a woman with absolute power. When Calypso halted in front of everyone, she glanced from face to face expectantly. Cortez stepped forth and got down on one knee, bowing his head.

"Calypso...I welcome you back to the land of humans," he said in a respectful tone.

Calypso regarded Cortez with impassiveness, but addressed him all the same. "Who possesses my locket?" she inquired in a cold tone.

McGivens, the locket now in his free hand, cleared his throat and stepped forth. "I do," he stated plainly.

Calypso stared at McGivens and then down at her locket. "What service may I do you?"

At that moment, Cortez got back to his feet and looked at McGivens with rapt curiosity, wondering what sort of request the mercenary would make of the sea goddess. McGivens, in turn, momentarily glanced at the Spanish conquistador and smirked. "I need for you to resurrect the vessels of the Spanish Armada that lie on the ocean floor surrounding this very island."

Cortez took a threatening step toward McGivens. "And what is it you wish to do with _my_ ships?"

"Use them to my advantage," McGivens replied smugly.

An expression of rage filled Cortez's face and he continued to advance. "Control over the Spanish Armada ships lying on the bottom of the ocean rightfully belongs to me. Those are my ships down there with my crew. You should not presume such things!"

"What I presume is a shift of control," said McGivens as he aimed his pistol right between Cortez's eyes. Cortez quickly drew one of his many swords and shoved the gun away.

"I will not allow you to command my vessels!"

McGivens scoffed in amusement as he withdrew The Golden Sword from his belt and clinked blades with Cortez's sword. "A duel, then?" McGivens raised the locket. "The victor gets the locket and power over Calypso."

Cortez smirked sinisterly. "Don't you mean the person who doesn't get killed?"

"However you see it."

As Cortez and McGivens circled each other, Calypso silently backed away from the scene in order to give the two men space. Quite suddenly, Cortez and McGivens lunged at each other, their swords becoming a blur above their heads. Cortez was a more forceful opponent and it certainly showed. He blocked every single blow McGivens aimed at him with incredible ease and continuously made McGivens step back to avoid being sliced in half. Cortez shoved The Golden Sword away yet again with his latest swing of his own sword and punched McGivens under the chin. McGivens staggered back a few feet, but was not deterred in any way. He ran back toward Cortez, but the Spanish conquistador spun around in a full circle and was able to slice a gash into McGivens' right arm. McGivens quickly switched his sword to his left hand by tossing it into the air and deflected Cortez's attempt to impale his head. The mercenary landed a sharp punch to Cortez's chest that allowed McGivens a moment of peace, that was soon interrupted by the resurrected villain attacking him once more.

The duel between Cortez and McGivens gave Jack and the others the perfect opportunity to escape their captors. While the eyes of McGivens' henchmen were fixed upon the fighting pair, Jack elbowed the brute on his left in the gut and slammed his bound fists into the henchman's face, causing him to sink to the floor, unconscious. Then, Jack spun on his heel and brought his tied wrists up above his head and as a result, the sword directed at him from the second crewman cut the ropes that bound his wrists. Jack ducked under the next swipe of the sword and kicked the buccaneer's legs out from under him. The action caused the sword to go flying straight up into the air and Jack caught it.

"Thanks, mate!"

Jack dashed over to his crewmates and swiftly severed the ropes binding their wrists as well. Through a series of punches, jabs and kicks, the rest of the crew soon had weapons of their own grasped in their hands and were putting them to good use.

Will and Elizabeth took on members of McGivens crew side-by-side, and did so fearlessly. Elizabeth managed to shout out an order to Michael and Jacquelyn, who were both standing just outside the fighting area.

"Michael! Jacquelyn! Get to someplace safe and stay there!"

The kids did as they were told and dashed over behind a boulder placed just before the wall. From behind the boulder, Michael and Jacquelyn peeked at the battle being waged inside the chamber.

Will and Elizabeth fought relentlessly. They each swung their blades in wide arcs and successfully deflected every last blow directed at them. Will dodged a current swipe of his opponent's sword by leaping out of the way and locking blades yet again. He then punched his adversary full-on in the face and the unconscious body of the brute slumped forward, giving Will the chance to sink his sword deep into the pirate's chest. Once that was completed, Will shoved the dead body away and engaged the next member of McGivens' crew he could reach.

Elizabeth clanged her sword against her current adversary's with great agility. She parried each blow with powerful force while pulling off amazing moves, such as sliding in-between the legs of her opponent and halting a swipe of the sword while using a dagger to cut an exposed area on the pirate she was fighting. Elizabeth kicked the brute right behind his knee, causing the henchman to buckle under the pain and sink to both his knees. Elizabeth took advantage of the situation and plunged her blade into the pirate's heart.

Jack, meanwhile, was finishing off what remained of McGivens' men. He was swirling, jumping, ducking and attacking in a rather impressive manner. He used his own sword to continuously outdo each and every one of the henchmen, and within seconds, the three whom he had been dueling with had been stabbed and were lying lifeless on the cold chamber floor. However, one last muscular brute came charging at Jack, sword held high over his head and a deep roar coming from his wide-open mouth. Quick as a flash, Jack reached down into his belt and drew his pistol, which he cocked and fired. The enormous pirate went down in a heap, dead even before his body hit the ground.

The fight between Cortez and McGivens had gotten even more dirty and physical than before. Both of them were employing any form of disarming tactic they could think of in an attempt to defeat the other permanently. Cortez now had two swords, one in each hand, and was becoming successful with both of them gradually. As McGivens tried to plunge The Golden Sword into Cortez's chest, the Spanish conquistador blocked the blow by crisscrossing both his blades and catching the one of the mercenary's between them. McGivens attempted to withdraw The Golden Sword, but was unsuccessful. Cortez then kicked McGivens' legs out from underneath him, causing the mercenary to fall on his back and The Golden Sword to slip from his grasp. The Golden Sword, as a result, went flying up into the air just over Cortez's head. Cortez reached out in order to grab the hilt, but did not anticipate Jack Sparrow suddenly swooping in out of nowhere and beating him to it.

As Cortez whipped out one of his massive pistols, McGivens got to his feet and did the same. Jack, a short distance away from them, abruptly turned and held The Golden Sword out in front of him so that the blade was stretching out in front of his chest. Cortez and McGivens fired off their shots, but the bullets ricocheted off the golden blade and did no damage whatsoever. Cortez then replaced his weapon and dashed toward the pirate captain.

At the same time, Elizabeth raced over to McGivens, who had now noticed that all of his men were now dead and looked like he was about to make a quick escape. She reached him just in time and placed the tip of her sword at the mercenary's neck.

"Don't move," Elizabeth commanded in a cold voice.

McGivens, despite his situation, smiled to himself. "Are yeh gonna kill me, Mrs. Turner?" he asked in an amused tone. "Cause if yeh are, then do it while yeh still can. Or can yeh not do it?"

"You killed my father," Elizabeth snarled at the mercenary.

McGivens slowly turned around, careful to make sure that the blade against his neck did not cut into the skin too deep. "The fool took the coward's way out. He chose his own fate."

"Don't you dare talk about my father that way!"

"Why don' yeh do his memory justice and kill me right here?"

With anger coursing through her veins, Elizabeth tightened her grip on her sword. She wanted more than anything to avenge her wrongfully murdered father and she had been waiting for this very opportunity for a long time and Elizabeth knew what she had to do. Elizabeth removed the tip of her sword from McGivens' neck and placed it in front of his heart, her heavy breathing now more apparent.

"Do it," McGivens said plainly. "Avenge your father."

Elizabeth's hands, as well as her sword, began to shake. Elizabeth willed herself to proceed, but something inside of her held her back. That something, much like an inner voice, told her that revenge would solve nothing and that it would only make the pain worse. Tears began to leak from Elizabeth's eyelids as she stared into McGivens' cold eyes, and finally, Elizabeth lowered her weapon.

"I knew yeh couldn't do it," taunted McGivens. "Too soft on the inside."

Without warning, Elizabeth punched McGivens full-on in the face, sending the mercenary back to the ground. The action had caused McGivens' nose to start leaking blood.

"My father wouldn't have wanted me to kill you. It won't change anything...it won't bring him back."

McGivens wiped away some of the blood gushing from his nose. "You're weak."

"No, McGivens, you are the weak one. You're weak because you resort to cold-blooded murder in order to achieve personal gains. I'm no murderer; I don't kill people when they don't deserve it."

Elizabeth turned around and replaced her sword. But a different voice halted her in her tracks.

"But I _am _a murderer."

Elizabeth whipped back around to see Cortez standing over the still-bleeding McGivens; The Golden Sword was now tucked into his belt and Jack was a few feet away, slumped against the wall and rubbing his head. Elizabeth looked back at the scene and saw Cortez holding a sharper sword over McGivens' chest.

"And I'm about to acquire a personal gain through it all," Cortez intoned dangerously. Al of a sudden, the Spanish conquistador plunged the sharp blade into McGivens, applying more force once the sword had penetrated the skin. Sword still lodged in the mercenary, Cortez retrieved Calypso's locket from the garments of his victim and placed it around his neck before withdrawing his blood-soaked blade from the fresh corpse.

Calypso approached from across the chamber and joined Cortez, who turned to address the sea goddess. "It would be considered most helpful if you were to raise my armada from the depths of the ocean for me."

Calypso glanced at her locket and smiled. "Consider it done."

The pair then walked toward the exit from the chamber, near where Michael and Jacquelyn were hiding behind the boulder. Cortez spotted the children when he was close enough and with a malicious smile playing across his lips, he grabbed Jacquelyn by her hair and hauled her to her feet in front of him.

"If any of you attempt to follow us, I'll break the girl's neck!"

"Jacquelyn!" Michael cried out, but he was shoved away by Cortez's booted foot.

Will and Elizabeth moved to stop Cortez and Calypso, but before they could get far, they were both blown backward from a shockwave that was the result of the two villains disappearing into thin air with a blinding burst of light.

After Will and Elizabeth had picked themselves up from the stone floor, they gave each other a grave expression. The daughter that Jack did not know he had was now in terrible danger and Calypso was about to raise Cortez's fleet from the bottom of the ocean.


	17. Formulating A Plan

Chapter 17

Cortez and Calypso, with Jacquelyn in tow, appeared on the outskirts of the mysterious island, where the longboats were still moored to the shore. The sky was growing darker and grayer by the minute and the powerful wind was beginning to send waves crashing against the sandy shore and the few rocks that lined it. The wind was also buffeting the leaves and such of each palm tree, whipping them around violently. For Calypso, the conditions could not be more perfect.

Jacquelyn struggled against Cortez's grasp, both angry and frightened. She had no idea what type of thoughts were running through the minds of her two captors, but she did know that she had to find some means of escape before their plans could be carried out. But the Spanish conquistador did not relinquish his hold on Jacquelyn, and he had no intention to; Cortez's mind was focused on only one thing at the moment: getting back his ships.

Just then Calypso, her blonde hair blowing all over the place, turned to Cortez and spoke in a voice that she made sure was audible over the strong wind. "Command me to fulfill your wishes, and I'll be able to do so."

Cortez, one hand grasping Jacquelyn's clothing and the other holding Calypso's locket, glanced down at said locket and understood what Calypso meant. He then cleared his throat and spoke loudly and clearly. "Calypso, I command you to summon forth the ships resting on the bottom of the ocean that rightfully belong to me!"

"Granted."

Calypso spread her arms wide while closing her eyes in concentration. Suddenly, the sky grew darker as more clouds virtually rolled into view, accompanied by the low rumbling of thunder. The scenery of the island was shrouded in shadow in a matter of seconds, darkening everything considerably. Next, the ocean water started to bubble and froth as if it was being heated from beneath by a raging fire inside the Earth's crust. The water then began to swirl and spin continuously as the salty liquid also formed a slight depression in its smooth surface. At that particular moment, Cortez glanced down at Calypso's locket, which was now glowing in pulsating bursts of oceanic blue.

Meanwhile, Calypso, her arms still outstretched, tensed the muscles in those arms and another deep rumbling noise made itself known. This rumbling, however, differed greatly from the sound of thunder that human ears are most accustomed to; it easily compared to a continuous beating of drums, as it came in short and loud beats. The bursts of noise carried on until something wooden and decayed broke the surface of the ocean. But that something wooden and decayed was not a solitary object; it was followed by many others of the same type, all in a straight line. It took a while to fully register exactly what these peculiar objects were...the tops of barnacle-encrusted and ghostly-looking vessels with massive sails and cannons that extended outward once the ships were fully above the surface. Each ship was dark and nightmarish while regal and intricate in terms of their Spanish designs, like crossing the darkest corners of death with the most sophisticated aspects of piracy. Onboard each ship were many pale, ghostly pirates who were roaring with rage, waving either their swords or pistols above their heads. Cortez turned to Calypso in admiration.

"Impressive!" he commended her proudly.

Calypso returned to a normal pose. "I'll gladly take my locket now."

Cortez fingered the locket, which was no longer pulsating the blue light, and slipped it around his neck, smiling sinisterly. "After I destroy the opposition. I need to make sure that these ships possess the ability to perform the tasks I have in mind."

Calypso clearly held back her bitterness. "I assure you, Cortez, your ships will function properly."

"I'll believe that when I see it."

And with that, Cortez hauled Jacquelyn away to the lead ship of the armada, which was floating in front of the rest.

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Back inside the cave, Will and Elizabeth approached Jack with Michael right by their side. The pirate captain was slowly rising to his feet, still rubbing his bandanna-covered head. When he saw his two comrades coming toward him, Jack placed his hat on his head.

"Jack," said Will, "we have to rescue Jacquelyn. Otherwise, I just know that Cortez will kill her."

"Well, that's not all of it, mate. Cortez not only has the little girl, but also The Golden Sword and Calypso's locket. We need both if we wish to emerge from all of this victorious."

"Jack," Elizabeth spoke up, stepping forward, "I think that both items in question could be considered secondary to rescuing Jacquelyn."

"Do tell, dearie, why is that?"

Elizabeth sighed in an attempt to stall for time. She looked toward Will, who gave her a curt nod with meaningful eyes. "Look, Jack," Elizabeth began, "there's something you should know. Earlier, you had asked us who Jacquelyn really belonged to. Clearly, she's not our daughter. We only have Michael right now."

"So?" Jack prompted. "Why is the parentage of Jacquelyn of the utmost importance in a time like this?"

"Because," said Will, "_you're_ Jacquelyn's father."

Jack's reaction was not immediate. He looked from Will to Elizabeth and back to Will again, his expression disbelieving. At first, Will's words seemed like a joke, as if Will and Elizabeth were testing Jack's sense of humor. But the extremely serious looks on the faces of Jack's two friends quickly debunked that theory and Jack started to consider the claim. The idea of having a daughter was one that Jack was not initially sure he was comfortable with; that and the fact that he was not completely sure he was ready to be a father...Jack had not even expected the notion to present itself at any time in his life. Next came the emotional weight of the proclamation, and it all came down crashing upon Jack like an entire ship.

_I have a daughter...,_ Jack thought, _me...Captain Jack Sparrow. I'm a father and I didn't even know it._

Suddenly, everything concerning Jacquelyn made sense. Her being Jack's daughter explained the girl's fascination with the eccentric pirate captain. After all, Jacquelyn was the daughter of the most widely known pirate captain in the Caribbean, so naturally she would be eager to absorb as much information about Jack as she could. But now, Jacquelyn, that very curious girl and Jack's daughter, was in danger and Jack knew that it was his first and foremost obligation to save her before it was too late.

"Right," Jack said, getting back on track, "we need to not only acquire the mystical artifacts, but save my..._daughter_ as well. We should get moving."

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Onboard his ship, Cortez walked in front of his crew, his hands behind his back in a pose of authority. Calypso stood at the end of the line, holding Jacquelyn. Cortez eyed her with a piercing stare.

"Put the girl in my quarters," he ordered. "We can't have her interfering with anything."

A bulky crew member immediately approached Jacquelyn and hauled her away, Jacquelyn violently protesting all the way. Cortez smiled and turned on his heel to face his men.

"I believe that we will soon be engaged in a battle with who I'm informed is Captain Jack Sparrow," Cortez informed his crew. "This ship alone will take on Sparrow's vessel, and we will most surely decimate it." The Spanish conquistador looked from face to face, his own expression impassive. "To stations, then!"

His men did as they were told and went about preparing the cannons and other weapons for battle.

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"So you want to fight the entire Spanish Armada?" Will asked as he, Elizabeth, Jack and the rest of the crew raced toward the exit of the cave.

"Whoever said anything about fighting the _entire _Armada?" said Jack. "We require only a solitary vessel with which to engage in battle."

"What's the plan, then?" inquired Elizabeth.

"We fight Cortez's main ship, get onto it, rescue Jacquelyn and recover both The Golden Sword and Calypso's locket, kill Cortez and destroy his other vessels."

Just then, the Pearl crew emerged from the cave but did not slow their pace as they continued to dash back toward the Black Pearl.

"And here I thought it would be an incredibly complicated plan," Will said sarcastically.

"Trust me...it will play out much quicker once it's begun," responded Jack.

"Wait a moment, what happened to Smith?" asked Elizabeth. "He wasn't in the cave when we left."

"Backstabbing bloke must've been killed in all the chaos," ventured Jack.

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Within five minutes, the crew had successfully reached the Black Pearl and climbed aboard. Jack then went about shouting orders left and right to crewmates, ordering them to prepare the ship for a fight.

"Step to!" Will barked to a crew member who was dragging his feet as he went about his duties. Will dashed over to the wheel, where Jack was currently standing, and stopped beside his friend. "I don't see any ships," he said, gesturing out at their foggy surroundings.

Jack smirked knowingly. "Oh, they're out there. It's just a question of who's willing to make the first move." The sound of the Black Pearl's cannons being extended outward along the sides of the ship followed Jack's words. "At least we'll be ready."

Elizabeth and Michael came up beside Jack and Will, staring out at the clouds of fog that had settled over the quiet waters as well. "Good," said Elizabeth, "because we have company."

The others looked in the direction she was and were treated to the sight of an ominous vessel of great size approaching them, shifting the clouds of fog aside as it drifted closer to the Pearl. Once it was close enough to see, the crew's vision unhindered by the fog, Cortez's ship turned so that it too was sideways, its cannons pointed straight ahead. Suddenly, there was a deep explosion, a flash of light from the cannon barrels, and the sound of cannonballs crashing against the wood of a ship.


	18. Executing The Plan

Chapter 18

Every single member of the Pearl crew currently standing on the main deck of the ship immediately hit the deck as soon as the first few cannonballs made contact with the vessel. Debris and splintered pieces of wood went flying into the air as the loud booming of the firing cannons persisted unmercifully. Over the roar of the cannons, Jack called out an order to his crew.

"FIRE!"

Seconds later, the deck rattled from the cannons below letting loose their fury. Cannonballs shot out from their homes, racing across the wind to shatter various portions of the Spanish Armada ship attacking the Black Pearl. More cannon fire shook both ships, but soon each vessel ran out of ammo and the crew knew that they had to fill the time needed to reload the cannons by fighting with pistols and rifles.

That soon transpired, as Will and Elizabeth slowly helped each other up after the rapid cannonfire had ceased. For an infinitesimal moment, all was quiet...until the sounds of firing guns filled the air, causing everyone to take cover once more. Will and Elizabeth dropped to their hands and knees for the second time, noticing instantly that weapons of their own were being distributed to the crew members.

Both Will and Elizabeth went over to the guns and took some for themselves after checking to make sure that they were properly loaded. The couple took their time in preparing themselves for combat, but others quickly dashed over to the Pearl's railing, weapons loaded and ready to fire. The abrupt burst of gunfire did not deter Jack, Will or Elizabeth in any way; they simply finished arming themselves and loaded their guns before joining their crew members at the railing and pulling the triggers of each weapon clutched in their hands. Once their bullets had been spent, the trio ducked down swiftly in order to avoid bullets being fired in return.

"We need to get on that ship to save Jacquelyn!" Jack stated above the loud madness transpiring around them.

"_You _need to!" replied Will. "We'll stay here and defend the Pearl!"

"What?"

"She's _your_ daughter!" shouted Elizabeth. "And Michael's _our_ son! We need to protect him...you protect Jacquelyn!"

Jack looked from one friend to the other and finally nodded in understanding. Making sure to keep low, Jack raced across the deck to retrieve a rope with a grappling hook attached to the end of it, and ran back to where Will and Elizabeth were once again firing off shots. Jack then stared across at Cortez's vessel and took careful aim as he raised the rope over his head and at last, threw the end with the grappling hook toward the Spanish Armada vessel. The grappling hook caught just where Jack wanted it to and once it did, he tugged on the rope to be certain that it was firm enough to swing on. Without any other thought, Jack leaped up onto the railing and looked back at his crew, mainly Will and Elizabeth.

"GO! GO!" Will ordered him.

Giving his comrades one last smile of assurance, Jack jumped from the railing of the Black Pearl, swinging across the wide gap between his ship and Cortez's, and landing steadily on the railing of the Spanish Armada vessel. Jack let the rope go limp as he released it, staring down at Cortez's brutish crew members.

"Sparrow!" came Cortez's cold voice above the chaos and from a short distance away on the deck.

A single gunshot rang out and Jack's hat was lifted off his head by the bullet, however Jack managed to catch his three-cornered hat just in time. "Why dol they always go for the hat?" Jack mumbled to himself as he replaced his hat and drew his sword gallantly.

The closest henchman of Cortez's raised his rifle to aim it at Jack, but Jack simply kicked the barrel of the weapon away as he leapt down onto the main deck, immediately beginning his quest for his daughter, as well as Calypso's locket and The Golden Sword. Jack took on as many of Cortez's men as he could at once, his focus never wavering. He maneuvered his blade flawlessly, parrying each swipe of the sword directed at him with little effort. Jack kicked, punched, and stabbed his way to victory each time an opponent reared their ugly head. Currently, Jack was dueling a rather large brute...one that seemed quite swift, despite his hefty appearance. Jack matched each blow perfectly, but he was waiting for an opportunity to overpower his opponent. And finally, that opportunity came.

Jack and his adversary both locked their blades together in the same instant, bringing them down to the deck, each struggling for control. Coming to a quick decision, Jack brought his right leg up and behind the left leg of Cortez's crewmate, kicking him just behind the knee. The action brought the brute down on one knee, but he still maintained his firm grip on his sword. Shrugging, Jack kicked the pirate right in the face, knocking hin unconscious. But right after that, three more crew members came charging at Jack, and Jack made another quick decision. He rolled the limp form of his former opponent away so that it was rolling directly in the path of the oncoming villains. The body did indeed knock all three of them off their feet. Smirking in triumph, Jack leapt back into action.

The pirate captain raised his blade up to block yet another sword swipe, and Jack used his free left hand to sucker-punch the brute in the face. But that did nothing to disorient the crewmate, as he lunged forward ruthlessly, applying his weight as much as possible in an attempt to shove Jack away. However, Jack would not be beaten. He shoved back, his face contorted in determination. Suddenly, Cortez's man swiped violently at Jack, and Jack jumped back while using his booted foot to kick the lunging blade from underneath, sending his opponent's sword flipping up into the air; Jack caught it and plunged the tip into the chest of his adversary, killing the brute instantly. Jack yanked back on the sword and kept it, now twice as dangerous.

Next, Jack encountered two more henchmen. They both drew pistols and pulled back the hammers of each, but Jack knew what to do. He started with the pirate on his left, punching him in the gut and struggling over the pistol. The man of Cortez's tried to angle the barrel of the pistol downward so that it would be pointing directly at Jack's head, but Jack would not let that happen. He was able to force the pirate to fire off the single shot in midair, making the weapon absolutely useless. All the while, Jack was aware of the other crew member behind them, who was more likely taking aim with his own pistol. Thinking fast, Jack forced an alteration of their positions so that Jack's newest opponent now had his back to his comrade, resulting in the desired effect. In reality, the switch of positions had happened so fast that the pirate aiming his pistol did not have time to stop himself from firing off his shot straight into the back of his friend. The shot pirate's face became empty instantly, and Jack slammed his fist hard into the space between his eyes, dropping the body like a sack of potatoes.

Jack then jumped forward and tackled the stunned pirate who was still just standing there. The two went rolling a short distance across the deck, knocking into others as they went along. Finally, the pair came to a stop and they both leapt to their feet without any hesitation. The pirate of Cortez's brought his pistol up instantly, but Jack was prepared; he slammed his elbow down on the arm joint and wrested the empty pistol from the Spanish soldier's grasp. When the soldier tried to lash out, Jack flipped the pistol over and brought the butt of said pistol down on the top of the soldier's head. After that, Jack went back to business.

But at the very same moment, crew members of Cortez's sent grappling ropes over to the Pearl so that they could swing onto the ship, just as Jack had. Jack himself witnessed this and wished that he could do something, but there were more important matters at hand. Focusing back on his task, Jack dashed off to find Cortez.

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Onboard the Black Pearl, the crew watched as Cortez's men swung onto the vessel, weapons at the ready. The crew drew their own weapons and engaged the new arrivals.

Will, sword at the ready, took on two men at once, each of whom had decidedly imposing blades clutched in their hands. Will twisted and turned, parrying each and every blow, until he finally got into the position he wanted. With his back to both of the pirates, Will blindly caught the two swipes aimed at him and maneuvered his arms so that his hands were now holding onto the hilts of each sword. The swords now in his grasp, Will forced the blades, which were facing backward, deep into the chests of both brutes. Once Will was fully satisfied, he yanked the swords out from the flesh and twisted on the spot to block an incoming blade.

Elizabeth had already taken down two of Cortez's men with little effort. She was currently dueling a very muscular man who was obviously employing every ounce of physical strength he could into the fight. He lunged at Elizabeth's throat, but Elizabeth managed to dodge it and bring her blade up under the exposed arm so that it ran straight through the flesh and emerged slightly on the upper side of the arm. Elizabeth was a bit put off by the gruesome action, but still, she continued on with the duel; she pulled her sword free and punched the brute in the face before plunging the sword directly into the pirate's heart.

Elizabeth moved on to her next opponent.

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Back onboard Cortez's ship, Jack had made his way over to the Spanish conquistador himself, prepared for the most enduring battle yet. Jack noticed the locket draped around Cortez's neck and The Golden Sword, which Cortez drew in a form of challenge.

"Jack Sparrow..."

"_Captain _Jack Sparrow."

"I find your resistance to die tiresome."

Jack smirked. "I get that a lot."

Without wasting another second, the two lunged at each other and clanged their swords together; Cortez used The Golden Sword as his weapon. Jack matched each swipe with skillful ease, never taking his eyes off of his opponent's sword. Cortez's latest attack caused Jack to twirl around on the balls of his feet, bringing his blade down to meet his adversary's right before it could make contact with his flesh. Jack then used his free hand to grab the hilt of his own sword in order to help him gain more leverage. He shoved both his sword and Cortez's sword away from them, giving Jack a clear shot at grabbing Cortez's locket. Jack made to snatch it, but Cortez was too fast for him; he shoved Jack away a few feet by pushing on his chest with his booted foot. Jack did indeed stagger backward a couple of steps, but he did not let that faze him. He advanced with his sword again, aiming for Cortez's right shoulder, but the Spanish conquistador dodged it while grabbing Jack by the arm and pulling him forward so that the two were face-to-face.

Cortez smirked sinisterly. "Any last words, Sparrow?"

In return, Jack flashed a roguish smile of his own. "Yeah...your breath smells funny!"

Cortez's face took on an expression of surprised confusion, and Jack took the opportunity. He smashed his forehead against Cortez's nose, the pain immediate and throbbing. The action caused Cortez to release Jack as he grabbed his nose in pain. Shaking his head in order to try to get rid of the pain, Jack ran at Cortez and brought his elbow up to make contact with the area just beneath the Spanish conquistador's neck. Next, Jack kicked Cortez full-on in the chest, sending The Golden Sword flying from his grasp and Cortez himself crashing through the closed doors of his Captain's Quarters.

Jack bent down and picked up The Golden Sword before following Cortez into his cabin.

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Onboard The Black Pearl, Elizabeth was still fighting one of what remained of the henchmen who had boarded the ship. Her sword had been knocked from her grasp and she was currently struggling over a pistol that was tightly grasped in her opponent's hand. Elizabeth had both her hands enclosed over the dirty one that held the weapon while the pirate behind her was trying to toss her away. Elizabeth's fingers slowly wrapped around the trigger of the pistol as her gaze was diverted to another pirate with whom Will was dueling. It was evident that the evil brute had the upper hand, so Elizabeth decided to do something about that.

She managed to aim the pistol at said pirate while still overpowering the henchman behind her. The first moment she could, Elizabeth squeezed the trigger of the gun, the bullet flying out of its home and embedding itself inside the left leg of Will's adversary. Next, Elizabeth twisted out of her opponent's hold and forced the empty and smoking pistol to slam into the brute's right cheek; the henchman went down instantly. After that, Elizabeth watched her husband kill the last remaining member of Cortez's crew.

Then, Elizabeth found herself wondering about how Jack was holding up with Cortez over on the other ship.

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The moment Jack stepped foot inside Cortez's cabin, he saw the villain pick himself up from the floor, wiping away a line of blood dripping from his nostrils. Jack tossed him the sword he had been using to duel the Spanish conquistador earlier, keeping The Golden Sword for himself. Cortez caught the sword tossed his way just as he rose to both feet from one knee.

"What's the matter?" Jack asked tauntingly. "Exhausted?"

"Never," Cortez replied shortly.

Cortez advanced, and Jack blocked the blow easily as golden sparks flew into the air upon contact. For the next few minutes, the two of then continued to furiously duel, each blade a blur in between the two bodies. The first major move Jack was able to pull off was shoving Cortez into his desk right before attempting to impale him; Cortez moved out of the way just in time. The Golden Sword became lodged into the wood and made Jack struggle to pull it free. Once he did, Jack dodged a swipe aimed at his neck and jumped on top of the desk, leaping into the air once again to avoid yet another swipe for his legs. Jack parried more blows before kicking Cortez in the face and leaping down to level ground. While Cortez was still reeling, Jack spotted Jacquelyn hiding in a corner of the cabin, her eyes fixated upon the duel. Not wanting her to be put in any more danger, Jack motioned for Jacquelyn to stay where she was; Jacquelyn obeyed.

The vicious duel between Jack and Cortez persisted all around the cabin until they finally came to a halt in front of the raging fireplace. Cortez managed to knock The Golden Sword from Jack's grasp and it went skidding across the floor to the opposite side of the cabin. Jack quickly looked around him, searching for an alternative weapon...and he found it. It was sticking out of the fireplace, ready for Jack to grab it and use it. Jack swiftly scooped up the flaming hot poker and brought it up to meet Cortez's incoming blade. The two struggled for control over the other for a few seconds, their faces contorted in concentration. Finally, Jack was able to overpower Cortez, resulting in him sticking the flaming red end of the poker right onto Cortez's left cheek. The Spanish conquistador screamed in agony as he staggered away, clutching at the portion of his face that was leaking blood.

Jack literally leaped the length of floor separating him from The Golden Sword, and he scooped it up into his grasp once he hit the wooden floor. He then saw Cortez charging him, sword at the ready and a dangerous fury blazing in his eyes. Not wasting even a millisecond, Jack swung The Golden Sword upward, the majestic blade piercing Cortez's body and sinking straight into his heart.

Cortez's face instantly became a mask of pure shock and pain. He stared down at the weapon protruding from his chest in amazement, hardly believing what just happened.

Jack slowly got to his feet, his hand still holding the hilt of The Golden Sword. Even more slowly, he reached out and lifted Calypso's locket off Cortez's neck. Once he did that, Jack removed his weapon from the chest of Hernando Cortez; the body dropped to the floor in a crumpled heap.

Next, Jack stared down at the locket, which was now glowing brilliantly with its bluish light. Out of thin air, Calypso appeared inside the cabin, her face stoic yet beautiful in every way. She stared at the locket in Jack's hand.

"Well?"

"I want you to destroy these ships. For good," said Jack without hesitation.

"I'd get off the ship then." Calypso's voice carried a very defined coldness.

Jack listened to her and stuffed The Golden Sword into his hilt and raced over to get Jacquelyn. He did not notice that he dropped the locket in his haste to do so. And as Jack raced out of the cabin with Jacquelyn in his arms, Calypso calmly waltzed over to the locket and scooped it up, an evil and satisfied smile playing across her lips.

Out on the main deck, Jack struggled to keep steady as he ran over to the railing of Cortez's ship, the ship starting to rock violently. Jack spotted a rope connected to The Black Pearl and addressed Jacquelyn.

"Get on my back."

Jacquelyn did so, her arms gently but firmly wrapping around Jack's neck. Jack grabbed the grappling rope and leaped onto the railing, making sure that Jacquelyn had a good hold on him. That done, Jack swung across to his ship just as a column of water shot up from the ocean and encased Cortez's ship within it.

Jack closed his eyes and didn't open them until he felt his feet touch firm ground again. He opened his eyes and saw that he was back aboard his ship; he let Jacquelyn down. Once Jacquelyn set foot on the deck, she immediately ran over to Michael and hugged him tightly. Jack, meanwhile, turned around and witnessed an awe-inspiring sight.

Each and every vessel of the Spanish Armada was being swallowed up by enormous columns of water and when the water columns receded, the ships were nowhere to be seen.

Jack slumped against the railing, catching his breath. Will and Elizabeth approached him, slightly smiling.

"Exhausted?" asked Will.

"You have no idea."


	19. A New Threat

Chapter 19

From high in the sky, Calypso observed The Black Pearl sailing away with a hint of evil desire on her face. Her hand lightly danced over the glowing locket around her neck; the source of her godly power...at least a necessary portion. Calypso then stared down at the calm ocean, which reflected the sun flawlessly. Slowly, Calypso extended her arms with godlike quality, her face serene and full of determination.

Way beneath Calypso, the sea began to bubble and froth in the same way it had just before the vessels of the Spanish Armada had erupted from the watery depths. But the ship that suddenly emerged from the ocean was quite majestic yet chillingly intricate in terms of the dark designs etched across it.

Calypso descended the air, coming to stand on the deck of her ship, crewed by men with various features of sea creatures replacing human limbs and or heads. Calypso gave out orders to follow The Black Pearl, but discreetly. The ship submerged with the water the same way The Flying Dutchman could and sailed underwater in the same path as The Black Pearl.

Only one thought ran through Calypso's mind as she stood at the wheel of her godly vessel. _Jack Sparrow...soon, our debt will be settled._

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**_COMING SOON: "PIRATES OF THE CARIBBEAN: CALYPSO'S FURY"_**


End file.
